Finding Shadow
by fluffykitty12
Summary: What if Anakin skywalker had another sibling like him? Anakin is forced to come to terms to the fact that his little sister was killed on Geooshia on a secret mission and that he has to care for Ashoka now. But after a shocking find, will he learn to let go?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Another easy diplomatic mission behind them, the old freighter, Twilight, blasted into hyperspace. The ship was on autopilot, Anakin Skywalker in the pilot seat, Obi-wan Kenobi beside him, and Palawan learner Ashoka Tano sitting farther back, painting her nails.

Anakin was bored. "What are you doing, Snips?" he asked Ashoka. Ashoka sighed and put the cap on her nail polish bottle. "Nothing. That's the problem. There are no other girls around here. I mean, it's not like I can paint your nails."

Anakin's face darkened, and he stood up. "There's an oil leak in the cargo bay." He lied. "I have to go fix it." He left.

Ashoka looked after him, worried. "Was it something I said?" she asked uncertainly.

Obi-wan shook his head. "Not your fault." He said quietly, and started off after Anakin, leaving the lone padawan behind him, feeling more alone than ever.

Chapter 2

There was a disk Anakin had never wiped the memory from from R2D2, his astronomic droid. It sat alone in Anakin's quarters, gathering dust. Anakin would pull it down every now and then to torture himself but relive the past.

He turned it on to a certain memory, one that was especially pleasant but painful.

He inserted the disk into R2D2 and let it play.

It had seemed a simple mission, just to finish a trade with a band of marauders, some spice the Jedi had acquired for data that could help bring down the one sith that was at large in the galaxy.

Of course, it was all turned upside down when they took off on a transport that shadow had been exploring, unauthorized, and they found her locked in the cargo bay.

"Hi!" the little girl seemed brighter than ever, for someone who had been locked in a tiny cargo bay for more than six hours.

He looked down at his small six year old sister in disbelief.

"How did you get here!? You realize we were in hyperspace, right? What if I had opened the doors by accident!? You would have been sucked into space!? Do you know how dangerous that was!?"

She just shrugged. "Yeah.'

"This is a _mission, _not daycare! You can't be here! You'll get killed if something goes wrong! You aren't even supposed to _be _here! Younglings don't leave the temple! How many times have I told you that!?" Anakin finished in exasperation.

Obi-wan placed a calming hand on his shoulder. "Anakin, calm down. It was an accident. She didn't know the ship had been assigned. Just be glad it was _this _ship, and not one off to the outer rim."

Anakin sighed. "What do we do? We're already in here. We can't bring her back."

Obi-wan shrugged. "Why don't we take her with us? You were twelve when you went on your first mission. What's a six year difference?"

Shadow's eyes lit up. Anakin sighed. He looked down at her. "Do you have your _training _light saber?' he asked.

She nodded eagerly.

"Okay, but that's for _training_, so you only use it if you really have to." Anakin shot Obi-wan a concerned look. "The counsel is going to kill me for this." He said quietly. Shadow walked along purposefully behind him though, anyways.

"Can we leave her in the hanger?" Anakin asked hopefully.

"Not if you don't want her to risk exploring another star ship. She's safest with us, and she stays with us. That's an order.'

They emerged from the ship to meet their folushian contact, a soldier.

"there's a village not more than five clicks away, so keep the fighting in the woods." He instructed. He eyed shadow suspiciously. "What's the kid doing here?" he asked.

"I'm a Jedi!" Shadow said fiercely, and her eyes held a fire. Two of the other officers laughed. "Some Jedi." Said one, and they kept laughing.

Just then, a whalbat, a large, carnivorous bat-like creature, flew in from the forest outside. It was a large, ugly creature, with red eyes and a venom-spewing mouth. At about forty pounds, it was a target best to be avoided.

"Shadow!" Anakin moved to push her down, but she had already force-jumped away, onto a barrel of star-fighter oil. She ignited her training light saber in one swift motion. Their contact and his officers were already firing blasters at the thing. Summoning the force, Shadow waited until she could jump onto the next ting, the old shell of a freighter. A stray blaster bolt pinged right beside her, and Anakin was yelling for her to hit the ground.

Instead, she closed her eyes and focused, dodging a blaster bolt that would have killed her. She saw her target in front of her, the whalbat. The creature let loose a spray of paralyzing venom that the soldiers just barely dodged.

The whalbat had its back turned to her. Just as it turned around, she jumped, summoning the force and gliding by a spray of venom by centimeters, her feet hit the wall, and she pushed off, swinging her light saber in an arc and dodging to the side to avoid another spray of venom while she cleanly applied force to her light saber, slicing the Whalbat in the neck and landing perfectly, while the Whalbat fell beside her, dead.

"yeah,' she snorted at the soldiers, who were cowering behind a barrel of oil. "I'm some Jedi."

Anakin rushed towards her, a bit frantic.

"Did it hit you? Are you hurt?" he asked, looking her over.

She shrugged him off. "I'm fine, Anakin.'

Anakin started up again. "do you know how dangerous that was? Whalbat venom can be lethal! I told you to hit the floor!"

Shadow rolled her eyes. "kinda hard when there's people and venom all over the floor. Now come on, we have a mission." Shadow slung the spice backpack over her shoulder and started out, Obi-wan falling into step beside her.

As they walked out, Obi-wan grinned as he heard one soldier say, "that thing was almost as big as she is."

It was a fourteen click walk out the meeting place, but Shadow didn't complain.

Anakin looked at Obi-wan again. "She's going to be a target if they see she has the spice.' He whispered. Shadow didn't notice, since she was studying the coordinates on obi-wan's data pad.

Obi-wan shook his head. "she won't give it up, you know."

Anakin sighed. 'shadow, I need the backpack." Just as she opened her mouth to protest, obi-wan chimed in. 'that's an order. We drop you at the hanger if you don't give it to him.'

Shadow sighed and handed it over, then went back to consulting the data pad.

"Three more clicks." She announced triumphantly.

Obi-wan shot Anakin a look this time.

"What?" he asked quietly. "she should be in a tree or on the ground, hidden." Obi-wan said quietly.

"Shadow, you have to hide, okay. Think of it as back-up. You only come out if I call you."

Shadow nodded and scaled a tree right by the meeting sight. Soon, she was hidden by leaves.

Anakin and obi-wan stood, waiting. The marauders arrived late, holding the disk in a metal case. The leader, Araman Jukunda, stepped forward.

"You give us the spice first.' He said quietly.

"Half of it first. Then the disk." Anakin said quietly.

"Get it." Araman said quietly. Obediently, four of his six men and assassin droid force stepped forward.

Anakin ignited his light saber in a motion too fast to see, and began deflecting fire. Then he heard the ping of the deflected fire hitting the tree. He grit his teeth. Shadow would have the sense to climb away, he had to hope.

Just then, a fifth marauder emerged, an odd species with long claws and bent fingers and toes for climbing. He scaled a tree and fired down on them, then jumped to the next tree. And the next. His plan was to get beside or behind them, but to do so, he would have to jump to Shadow's tree.

It was too late. The monkey had already landed by the time the thought registered, and the it jumped into the leaves. Obi-wan heard a cry of pain, a sharp, little yip. It was shadow. Had the money-like creature killed her!? It took a lot to make shadow cry out in pain. Just then, the monkey let out a fierce howl. Anakin thought he had heard a light saber igniting, and was reassured when he saw the money creature fall from the tree, unconscious.

Just then, she jumped down. She was a blur of motion, all at once, deflecting fire, pushing forward, taking out an assassin droid and slamming a marauder into a tree with the force, who slumped unconscious.

An assassin droid had scaled the tree behind shadow and prepared to leap, knife ready.

"Shadow! Anakin moved forward, knowing he wouldn't make it in time. The droid leaped and shadow swung her light saber back, demolishing it and continuing forward.

Araman could easily see his troops were losing, and he started to retreat. Anakin felt Obi-wan reach out with the force to try to immobilize him, and He did the same. Shadow launched herself forward, snatching at the air. Araman's knife slashed across her face, and she hit the ground. Araman and his troops began to rush to retreat, but shadow just lay in the dirt.

Obi-wan reached her first, and gently shook her. "shadow, shadow, can you hear me?' he asked gently.

Anakin looked down. She was covered in blood. He could clearly see where the monkey creature's claws had slashed up and down her arms, and where araman's knife had slashed from her nose to her temple. He gently set her head on his lap, wiping the blood off as best he could and murmuring soothing words.

"Shadow, if you can hear me, open your eyes." He said quietly. Obi-wan was examining her for other wounds, feeling for broken bones, and bandaging her arms. Shadow grinned, her eyes still closed.

"I got it." She said quietly, holding up the disk. Anakin just stared. He would have reprimanded her, if she wasn't hurt.

Instead, he helped Obi-wan bandage her arms and held a bandage to her face, all the while murmuring it was going to be alright.

"I know it's going to be alright. Stop saying that." Shadow said, opening her eyes. She watched Obi-wan bandage one arm while Anakin did the other, as if interested but listless to help. Finally, she shakily stood.

Anakin picked her up. "I can walk." She protested feebly.

"I won't let you.' Said Anakin quietly. She nestled against his chest, her pale face turning ashen. She trusted him to do everything right. Anakin shot obi-wan a nervous glance. _She'll be okay._ Obi-wan mouthed. Anakin nodded, and they started the long walk back to the hanger.

The fourteen clicks back to the hanger were silent, except for Anakin asking Shadow if she was alright every now and then. After about ten clicks, she didn't answer.

Anakin looked to Obi-wan. "She's unconscious." He said quietly. "obi-wan nodded. "she's lost a lot of blood, but not enough to kill her. You've been much worse."

Anakin nodded. Neither said anything, but they both knew the jostling walk over the uneven forest must have been agonizing for Shadow.

Anakin didn't bother telling her they were at the hanger. She was limp in his arms, unconscious and still ashen.

The soldiers greeted them with horrified stares at the bloody bandages on her. One rushed to get the medic.

He came and offered a bacta bath, but nothing else. "I'm sorry, but we don't have the resources here. I could give her a bacta bath, but she'd loose more blood."

Anakin nodded. 'I figured. The best place for her now is the temple. We have to get her there." He stood up, Obi-wan behind him. Obi-wan said farewells as Anakin got her settled on the ship, in a small nook that was meant to hold weapons. It was empty and large enough for her.

Obi-wan started the ship for takeoff procedures and raised the Jedi Temple on the comm unit. "Obi-wan here. Our mission was a success, but I'm afraid we-"

Mace windu interrupted from the other end of the communication. 'Master Kenobi, we need to speak with Anakin. There is a more… pressing matter here.'

Obi-wan called Anakin over, and he reluctantly left Shadow.

"Skywalker here.' Anakin reported.

Mace Windu began. "Shadow Skywalker has been missing for the day. We have no idea where she is, but we tried to raise you earlier, but you were out of range…"

"She's here." Anakin said.

"She's there? You took a youngling on a mission when it was unprecedented, unauthorized, and the temple wasn't informed?" Mace Windu asked.

Obi-wan interrupted

"Master windu, you know how sometimes younglings explore the docked ships in the hangers. She didn't know the ship was assigned, and by the time we found her, locked in the cargo bay, we were already out of range."

"I see.' Mace Windu responded. He waited for more details.

"but she's been injured in combat. She was fairly safe in a tree until a monkey-like humanoid species entered her tree. She's in what I would call stable condition now, but we'll need a med team ready to receive her when we arrive."

"We'll arrange that. The council will discuss consequences later. Out."

The com went back to static. Anakin winced. 'you don't think she'll get reprimand, do you?" he asked.

Obi-wan shook his head. 'That's only given to padawans." He assured him. "She won't be allowed to explore transports again, though, I'm sure."

Anakin nodded thoughtfully and went back to stay by her. Her face was still ashen. When the ship was on autopilot, Obi-wan came to join him.

"Anakin, you realize I take full responsibility for this, right?" Anakin nodded. 'I don't' care who gets blamed. I just want her in the med wing getting taken care of."

Obi-wan nodded. 'When she wakes up, she won't want to eat. Just give her little sips of water, or she'll be sick.

Anakin nodded. 'how do you know that?" he asked quietly.

Obi-wan smiled. "I had you for a padawan, remember?"

Anakin coaxed her to sip water within the hour, after she woke up. She didn't want to eat, and was dizzy, so Anakin sat with her until she was asleep.

They pulled out of hyperspace five hours later. Dawn was breaking over corasant. They started descent through the planet's atmosphere.

Anakin watched her lay still. Landings were rough- he knew firsthand- so he picked her up and sat down beside Obi-wan, holding her tightly against him and trying not to let her move too much, or else she would only hurt herself more.

They landed a few minutes later, and the med team was already in the hanger. They hadn't described the extent of Shadow's injuries to Mace Windu, but he knew the skywalkers well enough to know if they were hurt, they were really hurt. The med team was decked out with a repulsor lift stretcher and everything. Mace Windu stood by, waiting.

Anakin knew that if a Master Jedi came in person to see a returning group of Jedi, it must be serious.

But he acted natural as he gently set her on the stretcher and brushed her hair back from her face and bandage. Her face was a bit less ashen, but it was clear she was still in serious condition. Mace eyed the bloody bandages on her arms and face and then they took her away.

Anakin started after them, since he wanted to be with Shadow, but mace stopped him. "The counsel requires you report about your mission- immediately." Mace said. Anakin grimaced, but followed Obi-wan to the council chamber. It was early morning, but all the council members were assembled- that was unusual. Anakin realized this was a serious problem he had encountered with Shadow, but he stood outside. The council had wanted Obi-wan to report first. Obi-wan took awhile, and and Anakin began to fear he was being given a reprimand when Obi-wan exited and Anakin took his turn. He told the story. The Jedi counsel broke into murmuring groups for awhile.

Anakin waited patiently until they addressed him once again. "Do you have any other readily available records we can consult?' Mace asked.

"Yes." Anakin nodded. "The logs at the hanger bay- I'll have them sent later- and my astromech droid- R2D2 was with us."

Mace nodded his approval. "drop them off before nightfall. Oh, and, I've been told your mission was a success- do you have the disk?"

"Yes, Master." Anakin withdrew the disk from his tunic pocket. He noticed some dry blood on it, but Mace already had his hand out for it, so he handed it over.

"You are dismissed, Skywalker.'

Anakin bowed respectfully. "Yes, masters." Somehow, the statement made him feel like a youngling again.

He hurried down the halls to the med wing. He found Obi-wan- as he had expected- by Shadow's beside. She looked groggy, but at least she was talking. Anakin looked at the neat rows of stitches up and down her arms. The wounds were too deep for synthiflesh alone to cover. As soon as they weren't so deep and almost healed, they would place the synthiflesh.

Shadow looked groggily over at Anakin. It looked like she had just woken up from long night's sleep on a star cruiser. Her eyes were blear and she blinked slowly.

Anakin perched on the edge of her sleep couch. "How're you feeling?" he asked quietly.

"Good. Did they like the disk?" she asked.

Anakin shrugged. "you got a little blood on it, but yeah, they liked it."

"Did you get in trouble?" she asked concernedly.

"No."

"Did I get in trouble?" she asked. Suddenly she sat bolt upright, fists clenched. She grimaced. Anakin knew the stitches had no doubt stretched her skin. Gently, he pushed her back down onto the pillow and covered her with the standard issue with blankets, over her white tunic the med staff had put on her.

"Rest. I'll tell you more later." He assured her.

"No. I want to know now." She insisted.

"You can hardly keep your eyes open. Sleep, and I'll tell you later."

She gave him a doubting and anxious look for a moment, but then her eyes closed. Anakin watched until her breathing slowed, and he knew she was asleep.

Obi-wan startled him. "She looks much better today." He said quietly.

Anakin nodded. "Yes. Has she eaten today?"

Obi-wan shook his head. "no, but you never did after you lost a lot of blood either. Once, you wouldn't eat for three days, after you were caught in an explosion and wounded. Even what I forced you to eat, you wouldn't keep down."

Anakin gave Shadow a worried glance.

"You were much worse than her, though." Obi-wan assured Anakin. He nodded slowly.

Anakin looked towards Obi-wan. "did your meeting go well?" he asked incredulously.

Obi-wan nodded. "Yes, I think it went well. We didn't know much about the hanger, so we couldn't very well leave her there, since she's always supposed to be the Jedi's responsibility. I don't think it's anyone's fault, really. Just luck. But if I could do it again…"

"you did what you thought was best, Master." Anakin assured him. "besides, who knows what she would have done at the hanger. We already know she had a habit of hitching rides." He grinned, and obi-wan smiled too.

The hologram cut out, leaving Anakin alone in his quarters with his thoughts. Gone. She was gone.

It was his fault. He shouldn't have let her go alone. Never should have consented to allow her on the mission. Should have known better.

Obi-wan entered the room and studied Anakin for a moment. Anakin knew Obi-wan was scanning him, trying to form a perception from his actions and words. So he just lay down and stared at the top of his bunk. He was hollow.

"She would be ten in four days.' He said quietly. "my little shadow. She would almost be a padawan. Only a few more years. She would have been my apprentice." Anakin said.

Obi-wan sighed. "But she isn't. It isn't the Jedi way to look to the past, Anakin. The choices have already been made, and you'll drive yourself crazy if you dwell on it."

"it's not the Jedi way to let an eight year old girl get blown to pieces, now is it. Not the Jedi way for attachment, for anything that lasts. But pain, Obi-wan. Pain lasts. It never leaves. Only subsides and then hits you like a slap and the face when you least expect it. And it never kills you. Only makes you hurt so badly you want to die. It's like a savage animal, ripping you apart but never killing, just letting you suffer."

Obi-wan stared for a moment. He had felt pain when she had gone, yes, but he had learned detachment. Anakin had not. But before he had learned detachment, when Qui-gon had died, he had felt the pain, ripping and tearing at him, threatening to tear him apart. But Anakin needed a master, and so he had put aside his grief and kept going. But feeling the emptiness where she should be, the hollow pain inside him every day, was something he couldn't imagine.

"you have a padawan now, Anakin. She needs you. She's eating alone, trying to make sense of everything you do. Wondering why you don't be with her, wondering if you don't care. You must care for _her _now." Obi-wan said.

"yeah, cause I'm just so great at taking care of stuff." Anakin mumbled. Obi-wan left. Anakin gave himself a moment to truly feel it, and just when grief threatened to drown him, he got up, splashed oil on his hands, and went out to the bridge of the old ship.

"I fixed it.' Anakin announced, forcing a smile. Ashoka smiled back. She believed him. For now.

Chapter 3

"The council wants to see us.' Anakin told Ashoka neturally. Ashoka's eyes lit up. 'a mission?" she asked hopefully.

Anakin shrugged. "I don't know." Ashoka fell into step beside him. She was getting taller, he realized. She was turning fifteen sometime.

"When's your birthday?" Anakin asked suddenly. Asdhoka turned to look at him. "November 14. Why?"

Anakin shrugged. "Just wondered."

They took the turbo lift to the council chamber, which was vacant. They stepped inside.

Mace windu began. "unfortunately, the situation on genonosha has grown unstable once again.' Said mace Windu. He paused. Anakin felt the eyes of the entire counsel on him, watching him, waiting for a reaction. Anakin waited for mace to continue.

"There are at least three droid factories there now. One location is known. The others aren't. You'll be assigned 150 troops and a cruiser with a small fleet of star fighters to do the job.

Anakin nodded respectfully. "yes, masters."

"resistance there will be, from the Geonoshians. Formed an alliance with the sith, have they." Yoda said. "be swift, you must, or reinforcements, they will send." Anakin nodded coolly.

"Anything else, Masters?" he asked. "You will be briefed further on transport. You leave in one hour." Mace said. Anakin nodded and bowed respectfully. "yes, masters." Anakin said.

"May the force be with you."

Chapter 4

Anakin noticed Ashoka watching his face in the turbolift. He turned to her. "What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Why were all the jedi masters… staring at you?" she asked.

Anakin shrugged. 'Guess I'm pretty.' Ashoka couldn't hide a grin. Anakin returned if.

"on genosha, it's a death trap. Stay by me. They have land mines planted sporadically. One false move, and I'll have to scrape you off the rocks."

Ashoka nodded.

"It's all about timing with the droids, but I'm sure you know that. We'll probably stay at an old outpost…." Anakin fell silent without meaning to. Memories flooded back to him. He closed his eyes.

"master? Master,' Ashoka tapped him on the shoulder. The turbolift doors had opened. Anakin followed her down to the hanger.

_You have to take care of her now._ He reminded himself.

"You ready?" he asked before they entered the cruiser.

"as I'll ever be." Ashoka replied. They boarded the cruiser.

Anakin knew they had lots of planning to do ion the ship. Studying maps, planning scouting missions, and figuring out who was assigned where.

But Anakin knew he was distant the entire time. Remembering. Clone captain rex felt the same way.

After the two day journey, when, Geonoshia showed on the bridges view screens, Rex nearly spat the name. "hate this old red dust ball." He said quietly.

"Just dust, commander." Replied a rookie. 'just means your armor won't be as shiny."

"Say that again if you want a broken nose, rookie." Rex said, stepping forward. 'I lost the best cadet I ever had on this planet, and if you think dust is going to upset me, you've got the wrong idea.'

The rookie put up his hands, as if fending rex off. 'sorry, commander." He said. Rex backed off and went to stand by Anakin.

"Landing ships are ready.' Ashoka informed Anakin through his comm.

"be down in a minute.' Anakin assured her.

He let rex's group of thirty men to the turbo lift.

The ride down was silent, as though even the clones all knew what had happened here.

On the landing ship, as they penetrated the atmosphere, Anakin gave Ashoka a final briefing.

"I'm serious, Snips. If you see anything strange, call me. Don't take any chances, don't do anything you're not sure about, and always stay in my sight. Always keep your light saber and comm on you, and always tell me where you're going. Understand?"

"Master, it seems like your being a little-"

"understand?"

Ashoka nodded.

"if you die, then life gets a lot more boring for both of us.' Anakin joked. Ashoka gave him a small smile.

Then her face turned serious. "I sense something dark. But also something light. It's so odd. Maybe it's our troops. One ship probably already landed." Anakin nodded. He looked out across the dusty red rocks all around.

They landed. Ashoka wrinkled her nose in distaste at the old outpost. "looks abandoned." She said.

"it is." Anakin said quietly. "Until today." The door was broken- Anakin summoned the force and pushed it open with a wave of his hand.

The floor was covered in red dust. A shaky looking table was in one corner. Flimsy metal wall separated one room from another. Anakin's foot hit something.

He bent down to pick it up. It was a light saber. He tucked it wordlessly into his belt. Was it a message? Or a warning? Or a memory of her ghost? Anakin didn't know which. All he knew was the memories were flooding back. He had to get out of here.

Anakin sent two scouting parties of twenty five to look for the remaining factories; the seventy five other troops headed with Anakin and Ashoka to the factory. Twenty-five troopers were in the cruiser in star fighters, ready to airstrike at his order. He and Ashoka trooped along ahead of the line.

"Remember the plan." Anakin said. We start fighting with the troopers, then take out the big guns, and call in the air strike. Ashoka nodded. It was a simple but good plan.

The first factory was less than five clicks away, and posed the greatest threat. Looming large and tall, the Jedi would have to climb high and pass countless droids to take out the mounted guns with thermal detonators.

It was clear as soon as they were in viewing distance of the factory that they had been expected. Droids already manned the mounted guns, and out of the lowest level of the factories, geonoshian soldiers hovered on their wings, and droids marched mechanically out; row after row after row.

"Oh boy." Ashoka said.

"Stay with me." Anakin reminded her. They ignited there light sabers; the troops began to fire, and they charged forward. The battle had begun.

Chapter 5

Anakin and Ashoka deflected blaster fire as they ran, each cutting a path through the droids but staying close together. Blaster fire and the marching of so many droids made the dust rise up, and the heat and smoke from blasters was burning.

Anakin always kept tabs on ashoka as he ran; where she was in the smoke, whether she was ahead of or behind him, how close they were to the wall.

It seemed like miles away, but within minutes, they had reached the wall. Ashoka got out her cable launcher, as did her master, and the latched onto the wall and began to climb, still deflecting blaster fire. The droids on mounted guns aimed them at the Jedi, and Ashoka's light saber was a defensive blur. They had taken out three mounted guns in no time, but the droids were becoming the real threat. So much blaster fire took concentration to deflect. Anakin freed a thermal detonator from his pack and blew up a dozen droids on a ledge above him. Ashoka did the same.

They were halfway to the big guns now. Anakin was tired, but he knew ashoka must be struggling. He jumped over to her side and deflected fire for a few second, giving her a moment's reprieve. Then he summoned the force and jumped sideways again, taking out four droids with a sweep of his light saber.

Ashoka took out a mounted gun and used the force to send another flying. Anakin followed her lead. Ashoka risked a backward glance at the troops; they were losing ground- fast. In that split second she looked back, a thermal detonator landed on the wall next to her. She scrambled to dislodge it, but it was no use. "Ashoka!' Anakin used his cable launcher to swing in and grabbed her, swinging about ten feet above the detonator. Anakin kept Ashoka between him and the wall as the detonator went off, sending them both flying upward. Anakin waited for ashoka to free her cable launcher before he let go of her. They continued climbing, now only a few feet from the top.

Anakin overcame the ledge and took out three droids with a sweep of his light saber, burying his light saber in another. He dismantled one large gun with a flick of his wrist, deflected blaster fire, and used the force to dismantle the other one.

Ashoka was working on her side now, too, and only one gun remained. Anakin activated his commlink. "Send down the airstrike." He ordered.

"Affirmative.' The squadron leader responded.

It was then Anakin noticed the blaster fire around Ashoka.

One gun remained on her side, but the droid manning it shot so fiercely at Ashoka she was having trouble deflecting the fire, let alone dismantling the cannon. But she was close, now anyways. Anakin force jumped to join his padawan and noticed the gun smoking furiously.

"Ashoka!" he called. She didn't hear him for a minute. "Run!" He exclaimed.

"What? We almost have him!" ashoka cried. Anakin pushed her in front of him just as the gun exploded, blowing them both off the rooftop.

Ashoka fumbled from her cable launcher and Anakin gathered the force around him, willing himself to land softly. He could tuck himself into a roll to absorb the impact better, but he knew Ashoka needed him.

He hit the ground full force, and it almost knocked him off his feet. But he focused on ashoka and used the force to slow her to a complete stop just before she hit the ground. Ashoka gasped in a sharp breath. She was almost lying on the ground. Anakin gently set her down.

"The gun overheated." Anakin explained, helping her to her feet and brushing the dust off his sleeves.

"You alright?" he asked. Ashoka nodded shakily.

"Remind me to work on your landings.' He said quietly. Ashoka nodded again.

"the airstrike it coming. We have to help the troops. You up for it?" he asked.

"Always." Ashoka replied.

Two droids on swoops flew by; Anakin pushed one off with the force and easily force jumped on. Ashoka sliced the droid on hers clean in half when she landed. They both zoomed over the factory and into the fray.

They reached the troops just in time to foil the attack which would have finished them all, whirling furiously and demolishing droids. The airstrike came in, leveling the factory, and the droids around it, so there was only a small margin left to defeat. Ashoka and Anakin finished the droids and headed back towards the outpost, supervising the transport of the dead and wounded back to the base.

It was then Ashoka noticed the blood on her master's forehead.

"Master, you're hurt!' she exclaimed.

Anakin shrugged and wiped the blood off with his sleeve. "Just a scrape, snips. It must have happened in the explosion…' Anakin looked down at his belt. The light saber he had found earlier was gone.

"Poodoo. I lost it.' Anakin said quietly. He hid the pain he felt from Ashoka, since she already felt responsible for the cuts he had received.

"I'm fine, snips, really. But are _you _okay? You've almost blown up on me twice today.'

Ashoka's face took on a hurt expression. 'Sorry. I didn't mean it like that." Anakin said. "besides, it's a victory day. We won. We get to go to the outpost and eat protein cubes and make small talk and plan for tomorrow, and we get to wake up early. What could be more fun than that?" Ashoka had to laugh, and Anakin grinned.

The meeting after the battle was important, Anakin knew, but he didn't listen well. He felt hollow, again. He didn't taste the protein cubes he ate for dinner, which might have been a good thing. He felt numb, but he hid it as long as he could. Then, as he lay on the floor, in the dark, surrounded by soldiers, he stared up at the ceiling and let the pain run through him, scorch him, twist him, and make every part of him hurt.

Her light saber was gone. The only part of her he had left, vanished. He knew it wasn't Ashoka's fault. Things like that happened in battle. But he had wanted to keep it so badly, to hold onto a part of her he could never loose.

Rex lay down beside him. In the old outpost, there were no bunks, so they slept in rows on the floor. Ashoka slept in the briefing room with the holomaps, since it was cooler there, and she was small enough to fit in among the gear.

"You're thinking about her too.' He said quietly.

"I lost her light saber today, rex.' He said quietly. He was surprised to hear his voice crack. He wasn't going to cry, but he felt the raw pain of it inside.

"She wrote a poem once.' Rex whispered quietly. "When I was teaching her how to shoot as we target practiced. She said, "if you shoot'em in the head, then they'll be dead."

Anakin grinned up at the ceiling. It help lessen the pain, a little, but it wasn't the same. Somehow he felt a restless sleep.

Chapter 6

35 clicks south west of the base, a weary line of beings moved across the desert landscape. Slaves from factory 3. They moaned and shivered. It was freezing in the desert at night, and their breath hung in the air like clouds.

The clicks ticked away as they neared their destination. Soon, they were ordered quiet by the genonoshian overseers, who held whips and clubs.

One in particular, a small girl dressed in rags with long brown hair, walked forward with resolve.

She, too, had been startled when they were roused from work in the middle of the day and forced to march. The marched for a while, and they continued into the night, wherever the overseers and their glow rods led them.

The whips had cracked several times already on grumblers and those who tried to escape. She, too, was weary. But she had strength reserves she hadn't tapped into yet.

She followed the group absent-mindedly, reaching out with the force, feeling around her. The oppression and misery of beings was like a damper, choking off her ability to sense other things like a wet cloth on a flame.

But she worked past it and felt around her.

It was then that she felt it. So close it made her jump, and an overseer swore at her. So close- her friend, her companion, was so close. A few feet away, maybe. She had been reaching out with the force all night, feeling surrounds. She wondered if they had come yet. But when she felt it, so close, so near to her, she drew in a breath and her focus and tried to pin point it. Right, forty degrees to her right. She purposely stumbled and fell, landing right on top of it. Her friend. She clutched it to her chest. Some had begun to walk around her now, but the overseer had noted the disturbance. He headed towards her. She braced herself for the pain to come. The whip cracked across her back, opening deep, red gashes.

But she couldn't get up. In the overseer's glow rod would cast light on her friend, and give her away. She scrambled, struggling to hide it under her shirt, and the whip cracked across her again and again. Finally, at the end of the line, she staggered to her feet. But this was even more dangerous, because of the overseer at the end of the line might notice her friend. But the rags she wore concealed it well. She grit her teeth as she felt the blood trickle down her back, willing herself not to ignite her friend and kill the overseer who had whipped her. She could do it, she knew.

But that would be very un-Jedi like, and before she could kill the overseers, many more slaves would be killed.

She expanded her focus again and felt everything around her. They were walking on ash, she realized. It was warm, from embers kept alive under it. They were surrounded by rubble and dead droids. There had been a battle. She tried to sense who had been here.

Anakin. The word brought hope to her heart, but she knew her emotion and _want _ for him to find her could cloud her judgment.

Then, she focused even more. She reached out, moving the broken droids together, letting the metal clang. The overseer at the back of the line, along with two others, rushed off to see what it was.

And silently, she slipped off into the night, away from them.

She ran, moving soundlessly, until she was sure her lungs would burst and she was at least three clicks from them.

She was thirsty. She hadn't drank anything since the morning. She ignited her friend. He glowed blue in the night, and she felt new energy fill her. She was a Jedi again. She sensed Anakin around, a few clicks east, maybe. But she knew she could do him more good out here. He probably had some idea where the factories were, but the droids wouldn't expect a slave to fight them. She had surprise on her side.

She knew the factory where she had come from, but she could be of more use if she traveled ahead of the overseers, found the next factory, and did all the damage she could. She couldn't slip back in line now, she knew, but she could use the force and follow on ahead.

She listened to her instincts, focused on the beings she had run away from. Where were they going? She didn't know coordinates, but she let the force guide her, past the procession of misery and glow rods and farther on, ahead to the factory.

She knew she was several clicks ahead of the overseer when she saw it. It was a smaller factory, what the slaves called a beehive. Completely underground, except for the droids guarding the entrance, a few guns, and thermal detonators. That was all she needed. She made sure her light saber was on full power- it would take that and a lot of force to slice through a droid with only a training light saber, but she could do it. She had to.

Then she extinguished it and moved forward.

She crawled across the ground, towards the two droids she had chosen. She sprang up, and before they could send out an alarm, they were smoking on the ground.

She found a pack of thermal detonators on one, and smoke grenades on the other. Slinging both over her back, she cut down the remaining three droids and focused.

She saw all the entry ways in her mind's eye, three holes angled into the ground.

She wondered how to provoke them. Then she realized. Smoke them out. She threw a smoke grenade into the first entry, and a thermal detonator in each of the other tunnels. The thermal detonators went off, collapsing the two entries, and the smoke grenade seemed to add more urgency to the situation. There was now a bottle neck at the one exit, and she easily deflected fire and picked off the droids one by one.

Some droids tried to dig out the collapsed entry ways, and some did, but she threw another detonator to handle that. She realized this was a smaller, more hidden factory when only about eighty droids had come out, no more. Using her light saber as a glow rod, she entered and checked all the main areas, still alert. She found six frantic droids, and then nothing. The factory was empty. But it still needed to be destroyed.

Around her, she threw the detonators, then knelt and focused, using the force to try to push away impact and keep the roof on top of her from collapsing. The detonators threw her around like a rag doll, but the roof didn't fall in on her, and she felt alright. She tossed section of roof above her out of the way with the force and looked around, satisfied. It was now just an empty crater of droid parts.

She heard the overseers screaming frantically in geonoshian to one another. She could understand it all, since she had been a prisoner for two years. She extinguished her light saber and force jumped out of the crater before she was seen, hiding Behind some old rocks. She gathered the force around her, used it to veil herself and redirect the overseer's attention.

She listened to the frantic conversation going on.

"It is destroyed! We have been set up!"

"No, look at the droids. It is fresh. We must go to the next factory."

"That is the one we just left! It is far away! The slaves need water! They will die if they do not drink."

"We shall start back and have the droids leave us a tank at half way. Those who want water will make the journey."

The overseers started away.

The girl looked on after them, hoping the slaves would make it to water. But it was not in her control, and there was not water around here anyways….

"A well!" The scream came from far off. The girl's eyes flew open. How had she not sensed the water nearby?

It was a sign of how really thirsty and tired she was. But she lay down in the dust, knowing she could last another day, and find the well tomorrow, if Anakin didn't come.

She fell asleep staring at the sky.

Chapter 7

Anakin awoke feeling strange. He was distant all morning, wondering about it. He sensed something odd.

Anakin gave instructions to rex. "We mount our attack on the second factory you found at midday. Now, we rest and regroup. I need fifty more troops, and our airstrike team is still doing maintenance. Get ready, and we'll go over the plan."

Anakin didn't really have much of a plan. He had been told that this factory was tiny compared to the rest, and more secretive, so it would be harder for an airstrike team to find it to target. So it would all be ground forces, but a star fighter or two for dive bombs. It would be an easy job, or so he heard. But still, something nagged at him.

He contacted Obi-wan on his comlink. Obi-wan was overseeing the strategy from the cruiser, making sure the airstrike team was ready and ready to lead in a small force of troopers, if need be.

As soon as Obi-wan heard Anakin's voice, he knew something was odd.

"What's wrong?" He asked him quietly.

"I feel a presence… I don't know who or what it is, but I feel it. You don't think…."

Obi-wan sighed. "Anakin, no. The explosion killed her."

"We never found a body.' Anakin said.

Obi-wan sighed. "yes, but she was so close it's impossible she survived. Besides, she was probably lost in all the ash."

Anakin was silent, and Obi-wan knew he'd said the wrong thing. He didn't like the idea of his young companion's remains lying mixed up in a pile of rubble somewhere. But the was the reality of it.

"I wasn't saying it was her.' Anakin said quietly. "I was saying I felt a presence and was confused by it.'

"Well, be careful then.' Obi-wan said.

"may the force be with you." Anakin said neutrally. He ended the transmission.

Obi-wan knew he had said something he couldn't take back, crushing his comrade's hopes. But it was better to have a small hope fail than to have very high hopes and see them go away. It was almost crushing.

Obi-wan turned to busy himself with something else, and to forget about the things he couldn't change.

The troops had assembled and were ready to march, Anakin entered the coordinates and started walking. He felt he was going closer to the presence. As if he were actually going to it. It was eerie.

Ashoka shot him a worried glance as they walked along. "Master, are you alright?" she asked cautiously.

Anakin nodded. "I sense something.' Anakin said quietly.

"I don't." Ashoka said, almost to herself. Was he the only one that felt it? He didn't know. He certainly hoped it wasn't shadow's remains, like obi-wan had said, mixed up in the rubble.

Chapter 8

Dawn came quicker than she had expected, since when she opened her eyes, the light streamed in and blinded her for a moment.

She ran her fingers through the dark red dust and painted lines under her eyes with it, to attract the sun . Then she drew the elaborate patterns she had drawn on younger girls faces so often at the factory. She sat up and felt a shocking jolt of pain run through her. Her wrist ached badly. A droid had hit her with his disabled blaster last night. She felt sore all over, and weak. She had hardly eaten, and she hadn't drank water in….

Suddenly she knew she needed water. But Anakin would come here. She tried to sense him. She thought she felt him coming, but she wasn't sure. She was hardly sure of anything anymore.

Anakin had told her how to survive in the dessert, yes, what insects to eat, where to get water. But the ground here wasn't like the tatooiene sand, where one could easily dig for bugs and insects. It was hard, red rock. And she couldn't leave to get water. Not with Anakin coming. She lay down and wait. Better to save her strength.

It was agony waiting. Her lips were cracked and bleeding from want of water, her eyes couldn't even tear, and she was in pain. It was so hot. She thought about seeking refuge in the shade where the one entrance tunnel had remained, but she decided she wouldn't have a good vantage point from there.

Suddenly she was cold, so shivering cold. She waited for the sun, wanted it to warm her, but it did nothing. She was so thirsty, and the rocks warped into sith, and death, and the carcass of her brother. And then it was all black.

Chapter 9

Anakin got more apprehensive with each click they walked. He was getting closer to it, whatever it was. And then, around three, he felt it. He stopped dead.

"Something's wrong.' He said quietly.

Ashoka looked over at him, confused. "Master, everyone is fine. The troops are all okay. We're almost there.

Anakin was torn. He needed to go ahead, had to see what was so wrong, but he wouldn't leave his padawan alone on this world. Not after what happened last time.

But he was anxious, all the same. "Less than half a click." Rex informed him. Anakin nodded. He had to stay with the troops. After the battle, or most likely during it, they would find out what was wrong.

He could see the factory now, but it seemed… deserted. As they came closer, they saw the droid parts scattered by the one entry way. Everything else had collapsed.

Anakin whispered in awe, looking at the decimation at the sight. Rex had been on the scouting party yesterday.

"rex, was it like this yesterday?' he asked.

'no, sir." Rex said, clearly mystified.

"you don't think it was….'

Just then he saw her. Slightly beyond where the roof of the factory had caved in, of the crest, was a tiny figure. Her brown hair blew in the wind, and the red marks on her cheeks made her look strange.

"Shadow!" he called.

She was instantly running towards him, mustering strength she didn't know she'd had, force jumping into the caved in roof, sprinting through the tunnel, running to him, to safety, to her brother, who had finally come….

He ran forward towards her. Ashoka stayed slightly behind him, and rex came forward, too.

"Anakin." She breathed. She clung to him, and her shaking legs gave way. Anakin caught her and carried her over to a rocky overhang, looking at her concernedly.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Shadow said nothing. It was then Anakin noticed the blood stains on the back of her shirt, her bent wrist, and her shakiness and ashen skin.

"When's the last time you drank anything?' he asked seriously.

"yesterday morning." she said quietly.

Anakin pulled his canteen off of his utility belt and opened it, putting it to her lips. At first she resisted, but Anakin convinced her, saying, "Just take three little sips for me, okay?"

She took three tiny sips and gagged, but swallowed.

"Cold out, isn't it?' she asked quietly.

"cold? Are you kidding me? We're in the middle of the…" Anakin reached up and felt her forehead. He motioned to Rex.

"She's burning up. Do we have a medic?'

Rex shook his head. "The three we have left have to treat the wounded back at base."

Anakin nodded. "It's pretty bad, though." He said quietly. Rex nodded. "Anything we can do?" he asked.

Anakin shook her head. "Not much. Severe dehydration and she's beat up. And her fever is spiked at… I don't know.." Anakin pulled a small bandage out of his pack and wet it down, placing it on her forehead.

"Just relax.' He said, murmuring soothingly to her. "We'll be at the outpost soon, and then you can rest."

She was struggling now, fighting, even. "No…. I can't. I know where the last factory is…."

Anakin stared at her for a minute.

"Rest. We'll figure it out later."

He started towards the troops. They were going back to the outpost once again.

A cadet approached Anakin cautiously. "Sir, is it really Shadow?" he asked.

Anakin nodded. "Yes." Anakin said, pulling her long brown ponytail out from where it was hidden in her shirt collar.

Shadow opened her eyes, looking over at Ashoka curiously.

"Hello." She said drowsily.

"Hi.' Ashoka replied cautiously. Anakin noticed ashoka for the first time, it seemed.

"You two haven't met, have you? He asked. Ashoka and Shadow shook their heads.

"Ashoka, meet Shadow. Shadow, Ashoka." "Hi.." Shadow said. Then her eyelids fluttered closed.

She didn't open them again. "She's unconscious.' Anakin muttered to rex.

Rex nodded and studied her, concerned.

Finally, Ashoka asked the one thing that had been weighing on her mind.

"Master, who is she?'

Anakin didn't stop walking as he turned to Ashoka.

"She's my little sister." Anakin said quietly.

"I let her go with the troops alone one day, and they stumbled on a land mine. Then it was all out war, and she disappeared. We thought she was dead."

Ashoka nodded and was silent for a moment, looking at the small girl curled up against her master.

"She's kind of… small…. It's hard to believe she took out all those droids." Ashoka speculated.

Anakin shook her head. "no, it isn't. not when you've seen her in action before." He said quietly.

Anakin turned on his comlink and hailed Obi-wan.

"Obi-wan, I need you at the outpost, now. It's an emergency.' Anakin said. He cut out the transmission and turned off the comlink. He grinned at Ashoka's questioning look.

"I'm going to surprise him." He said quietly. "Obi-wan hasn't seen her in two years, either."

Ashoka nodded, but one question ate away at her.

"So… when she's a padawan… You're going to take her." Ashoka asked quietly.

Anakin turned to look at Ashoka, stunned. "No. why would I do that?"

"she's your sister."

"yes, and you're my padawan. When I took you on as a padawan, it was for no matter what. Shadow understands that. She has to find her own path."

"but… won't she hate me?" Ashoka asked quietly.

Anakin shook her head. "you don't know her if you think she goes nuts over everything. She's hilarious and friendly. You just need to give it a week or two. She watches you, then decides how to act.'

Ashoka nodded. But still, she didn't understand.

"Three clicks till outpost." Rex read off. Anakin looked down at Shadow, who lay like a ragdoll in his arms. "Almost there." He said quietly.

Shadow didn't stir.

Chapter 10

Obi-wan was mad. Anakin carried Shadow, but Obi-wan didn't seem to notice. "Anakin, you tell me it's an emergency, and you're not even here…." Obi-wan fell silent as he saw Shadow.

"It isn't…" Obi-wan breathed. "Shadow?"

Anakin nodded. Shadow stirred, and Anakin carried her to the small metal room they used for a med clinic.

Two medics rushed in, and Anakin summarized the injuries. 'She's been whipped on her back, her wrist is hurt, and she's burning up and severely dehydrated."

The medics nodded and entered the room.

The room was too small for Obi-wan and Anakin to enter, and so they sat outside, talking.

"Where in the world did you find her?"

"She destroyed the second factory. We found her like this there."

"How did she get there?"

"She blacked out before she could say, and she was too hurt to talk anyways. Almost delirious. But she told me she knows where the last factory is."

"You aren't thinking of having her take you to it, are you?" Obi-wan asked quietly.

Anakin looked shocked at the thought. "I just got her back, Obi-wan. I'm not going to risk losing her again."

Obi-wan nodded. "But the council should hear of this, Anakin. It will be a welcome surprise."

Anakin looked nervously towards the make-shift med clinic they had set up.

"Still, master. You saw her. She's in pretty bad shape, and I don't know how long it's going to take for her to be well enough to travel." Obi-wan nodded.

Just then, Obi-wan's comlink signaled.

"Kenobi here." Obi-wan answered.

"Raised from your ship, we have been. News you have, we have been told. Wish to know it, we do." Yoda said quietly.

"I'll let Anakin tell you that." Obi-wan handed the comlink over to Anakin.

"Shadow is alive." Anakin said, grinning.

"Young Shadow, alive you say?" Yoda sounded surprised.

Anakin handed the comlink back to Obi-wan

"yes, when they went to attack the second factory today, she had already destroyed it." Obi-wan said. Anakin grinned. "Right now she's in the med wing, injured and sick, but she has the location of the final factory. That's all we know so far."

"Severely injured, is she?" Yoda asked.

Obi-wan looked at Anakin. "She's been whipped excessively, has sun burns, severe dehydration, and she might have a fractured wrist." Anakin said into the comlink.

"Deliver this news, I must. Good, it is, to have a lost youngling back. May the force be with you."

"May the force be with you too." Obi-wan responded. The comm went off.

Ashoka entered, a bit curious. "Is she okay?" she asked Anakin. Anakin shrugged. "We don't know how bad it is yet, but I can feel her calling us."

Ashoka seemed taken aback by the strength of the force Shadow had. "Wow. She sure is calling you. I never knew she could use the force like that. I mean, I had heard rumors, but…"

Anakin nodded. "She's grown stronger."

Obi-wan agreed.

Just then the med team exited. "Wrist broken in two places, severe dehydration, forty stitches, second degree burns, heat exhaustion, and a fever of 104*. She certainly doesn't do anything halfway."

Anakin nodded. "Is she going to be alright?" he asked.

"As far as we can tell, yes. But it's going to take a while. And it's going to be hard on her. She's in a lot of pain."

"Does she have any pain killers?" Anakin asked.

The Medic just shook his head. "She wouldn't take any, said to give them to the wounded. And, besides, there's a shortage as there is."

"so, you stitched her up and everything without pain killers?" Anakin asked.

The medic nodded. "Yes. She was unconscious soon enough, though. She insisted we not give her anything, and we didn't want to stress her, or she could have worsened."

"Can I see her?" he asked.

The medics exchanged a glance with one another. "Five minutes." They said. Anakin thanked them and entered. Obi-wan slipped in behind him.

Anakin was already stroking her hair. "How bad is it?" he asked. Whenever he had been injured at the temple, he was always unconscious or numb.

"Okay. It hurts and all, but someone who's worse than me won't have to feel it, so it's worth it. But I have to tell you the factory coordinates" She sat up and grimaced

"Just tell me." Anakin said quietly. Just as She was about to, an explosion rocked the outpost.

Chapter 11

After the explosion, frantic screams filed the outpost.

"Posts! Get to your posts!"

"Load your blasters."

"get the detonators!"

Along with screams of pain and other horrible sounds.

Anakin and Obi-wan exchanged a look as another explosion rocked the outpost.

"Ashoka, stay with Shadow." Anakin said quietly.

Then he and Obi-wan rushed away.

Ashoka slowly entered and watched as Shadow watched her brother and Obi-wan rush out, and saw the look of longing in her eyes. Then she noticed Ashoka.

"You can go. I'm good here." Shadow said happily.

"Yeah. I don't believe that for a minute. Besides, Anakin kind of freaked out about being careful on this mission."

Shadow grimaced. "Sorry. Kind of my fault."

Ashoka laughed. "It's alright. So, how do you feel? She asked.

"Like I'm talking to a psychiatrist." Shadow said. "How does that make you feel." She said, imitating a mental health evaluator.

Ashoka laughed again. Then she fell silent.

"You… know I'm Anakin's padawan, right?" shadow looked surprised only for a moment. "Cool. He's… interesting."

'Yeah." Ashoka said.

Blaster fire was heard outside.

"This is a very odd time to have a conversation." Shadow said quietly.

Ashoka nodded her agreement.

"But, like, no hard feelings about the padawan thing?" Ashoka asked.

"None. Besides, now I can wonder who will choose me." Shadow said quietly.

"What happened to you, though?" Ashoka asked. "I mean, people always talked about you at the temple, and then, you were just… gone. I mean, I didn't know Anakin personally then, but the kids didn't mess around as much anymore. It seemed like they had less fun."

Shadow shrugged. "I got sent on a covert mission here. No one was supposed to know. Anakin and I split up. I went with the troops, accidentally detonated a land mine, and then the security force swooped in. I was passed out and wounded, and in the confusion, they put me on a transport to be a slave. They used me to serve geonoshians, but then they learned I was much better with mechanics, and they had me work on droids. I sabotaged them, of course, but I never got caught."

Ashoka nodded.

"I like your face." Shadow said.

"Umm… thanks." Ashoka said quietly. "I like your…um… dust."

"Thanks."

"Do you need anything?" Ashoka asked.

She shook her head. "I can get anything I need myself."

She reached out a brightly casted hand and closed her eyes. Ashoka felt the force fill the room. A standard issue tin cup from against the wall flew over to the sink. The sink turned on, filled the cup, and turned off, and the cup flew to Shadow's hand.

"Wow." Ashoka said quietly. "How old are you again?"

"Ten… two days ago." Shadow said.

"Happy late birthday." Ashoka said.

"Thanks." Shadow sipped a bit of water.

"But, how do you use the force like that? I've seen _padawans_ who can't do that."

Shadow shrugged and took another sip of water. "You get bored as a slave. When I wasn't sabotaging droids, I was using the force, focusing, using my focus, moving things. The little kids loved it. Sometimes, I could snatch a treat for them with it."

"Really?" Ashoka raised an eyebrow, as if challenging her.

Shadow reached out her hand and closed her eyes. A moment later, her light saber flew in the door and into her hand.

She raised one eyebrow, minicing Ashoka playfully. "Really."

Ashoka laughed again.

The battle outside had been growing progressively quieter, and now it was silent. Anakin and the troops were filing back inside.

"Poodoo. I have to pretend I'm asleep now, or he'll thing I'm in too much pain." Shadow said. She closed her eyes.

Anakin hurried in. "How is she?" he asked quietly.

"Asleep." Ashoka said quietly. Shadow, eyes still closed, grinned at her.

"You should be resting, too." Anakin said, looking concernedly at Ashoka. "You've had a long day. And it's going to get harder."

Ashoka shook her head defiantly. "I'm fine." She said. But her expression betrayed her.

"Go get some rest, or you'll make yourself sick. That's an order." Anakin said. Ashoka sighed and headed out to the map room.

Chapter 12

Anakin sighed and looked at Obi-wan. "We weren't prepared. We were going to go fast, so we didn't think they'd retaliate. It's going to take a bit to sort this mess out."

Obi-wan nodded. "I'll stay and help." He said quietly.

"Thanks." Anakin said.

He removed his glove and felt shadow's forehead. He sighed. "She's even hotter than before." He said quietly. "The question is, do we let her sweat it out, or try to cool her off?"

"Cool her off." Obi-wan said expertly. "In this heat she'll dehydrate if we let her get too hot."

Anakin nodded and place a wet cloth on her forehead.

"I'm worried about her." Anakin said quietly, examining the burns the dessert sun had left on her arms. The skin was already peeling.

Obi-wan nodded. "No pain killers and those injuries is a lot to take on. But you can feel the force around her. She's focusing it, healing herself right now. I can feel it."

Anakin looked surprised. "Really? How can you tell?" he asked.

"All she's doing now is resting and breathing, it looks like. You can't feel the force as a radar now, since it's not around her, but inside her healing. She's withdrawn to focus on healing. Since she isn't alert instead, she's drawing it around her, giving herself strength." Obi-wan replied.

"But since she isn't alert, if we're attacked, she's in the most danger." Anakin finished for him.

Obi-wan nodded. "Yes, potentially. But she's healing fast. You did the same, as a padawan. I would watch you in the med wing; feel you gathering the force and using it. The only time you didn't was when you were too hurt to even reach out to the force. I was afraid I was going to lose you then."

Anakin shook his head an grinned. "I don't give up that easily." He said.

Obi-wan smiled. "Neither does she."

Chapter 13

Rex left the med wing grinning and shaking his head. "She's as cocky as ever." He told Anakin. "Oh, and she wondered if you'll let her eat."

Anakin looked surprised for a moment. He looked to Obi-wan for guidance. "Isn't it too soon after everything?" He asked.

Obi-wan shook his head. "I told you, she's been healing herself. Give her something small at first, like broth or a protein cube. She'll work her way up. "

Anakin nodded. He removed a dehydrated powder capsule from his pack and filled a tin cup with water. He emptied the capsule into it and stirred, and a moment later showed it too Obi-wan. "Think it's too much for her?" He asked quietly. Obi-wan shook his head. "That's fine, Anakin."

Anakin quickly delivered it to her and left.

Ashoka walked by just after he left, but, seeing as she was eating, she started to walk away. Then she felt the force call out to her, and came back to the med wing. She stepped inside. "You called me?" she asked uncertainly.

Shadow took a sip from her tin cup and looked up. "You thought I was busy." Shadow said. "You've never been stuck in the med wing for a while. You're _never _busy."

Ashoka nodded. Shadow looked into the cup of soup she had been given,. Quickly, she drank the entire thing and set the cup down, wiping her mouth on her sleeve. She noticed ashoka staring at her, a bit disgusted.

"Sorry." Shadow said, blushing. "When I was a slave, if you took too long eating, they'd take what was left of your food and dump it on the ground, and then make you go work."

Shadow wrinkled her nose in disgust at the memory. "An awful waste, really, considering most of us were half starved."

Ashoka nodded.

Shadow sat up and swung her legs off the sleep couch, surprising Ashoka.

Shadow grinned. "You thought I was just sleeping last night." She said.

"I was using the force to heal faster."

Ashoka looked even more surprised. "You can do that?" she asked.

Shadow nodded. "You can do many things with the force. It's not just to jump high and throw people around and easily find stuff."

Ashoka looked thoughtful for a moment. " Can you teach me?" she asked quietly.

"Sure. Healing is easy. It's just drawing the force into yourself to give you strength. Then your body uses the strength to heal. It even works on other people. But it takes a lot of practice to do that. I've only done it a few times."

Ashoka nodded and started to draw the force into herself. She was surprised to find it was like a trickle being brought into her, compared to Shadow's strong pull on the force.

Shadow grinned at Ashoka's astonished face. "Hard, isn't it? It gets easier each time you do it."

Ashoka nodded.

"I practiced that every night, before I went to sleep. It gives you the best rest ever." Shadow informed her.

Ashoka's com signaled. "I have to go." She said quietly.

"Alright. But, could you do me a favor?' she asked quietly.

Ashoka nodded.

"Start dropping hints to Anakin I'm getting better. And, could you tell him to bring me some real food?"

Ashoka laughed and agreed, leaving and realizing she had found a friend.

Chapter 14

"Ashoka, the scouts are going out to find the third factory. I need you to go with them be careful." Anakin said.

"But, master, shadow told me she's better and she knows-"

"She';s not ready yet." Anakin interrupted her. "She still needs a few more days."

Yes, master." Ashoka said. She started walking with the scouting party.

The third factory was the hardest to find.

At twenty seven clicks out, it was a grueling walk over cliffs, and carved into the end of a three sided canyon.

Shadow noticed Anakin check in on her when she was healing. She opened her eyes. "I'm ready, Anakin." She said quietly.

Anakin shook his head. "You're not. Besides, we've already sent out the scouting party to find it. They'll be back anytime now."

Shadow shook her head. "They'll be gone for eight hours, at least, and all exhausted when they get back."

Anakin looked down at her skeptically. "More exhausted than you?" he asked. He left, and shadow felt the frustration well up in her. She would heal now, and show him later.

Anakin hated when Shadow was right. But even more so when ashoka arrived, exhausted, with the scouting party.

"Twenty seven clicks away over sheer rock cliffs, built into the canyon." she said. She outlined the route. It was brutal. Anakin studied the holo maps.

"You couldn't find a short cut?" he asked quietly.

Rex shook his head. "Just cliffs." He said tiredly. Anakin couldn't find a plausible shortcut, either. At least, not on the holomap.

"You guys are taking the hard way." Anakin heard the voice from the doorway and looked up, Alarmed. Shadow stood, watching them, amused.

"Shadow, get back to the med-wing." Anakin said.

"You'd be crazy to take that route.' Shadow said again. 'They'd see you coming from a six clicks away."

"You're crazy to be here." Anakin retorted. "There are no possible short cuts."

"Anakin." Obi-wan said quietly. "Let her talk."

"You forget I worked in that factory, Anakin." Shadow said quietly.

"there are tunnels underneath the factory, so they can easily ship out droids.

They march them through the tunnels, which end in a hanger bay about… here." Shadow pointed to the map.

"There's a main tunnel that a line of five droids can march across." Shadow drew the tunnel back to the factory.

"They'll expect you know about the hanger and are planning to take that and access the tunnel there. So all there defense…" shadow studied the map. "Will be around here."

Shadow pointed to a place in the main tunnel, just below the hanger bay.

"You said they can only have a line of five droids." Anakin challenged her.

Shadow looked up. "Yes, but there are smaller maitence tunnels branching off." She said quietly. "They'll hide the droids there and have them come and ambush you."

"And I expect you know _all _the tunnels." Anakin said sarcastically.

"I'd expect you'd have learned detachment by now." Shadow retorted. Anakin felt his neck flush red. "and, as a matter of fact, I do. The design I drew on my face the day you found me- we paint it on the younger girl's faces, because they are forced to work in the tunnels. The girls always stay in pairs, and the designs on their faces aren't designs. They are maps. They can always read they're location off one another's faces."

Obi-wan looked impressed.

"Do you remember the design?" he asked Shadow. She nodded. "yes. The red line I drew down the middle of my face represents the main tunnel." She said, indicating the map. "And it branches out on each side."

She drew a complex series of tunnels out on each side of the main tunnel.

"Every three tunnels has an exit point, but they are all secured from the hanger, since they don't want the slave girls escaping." Shadow indicated each exit point. "But with a light saber, you can cut through and disable the alarm."

"And the access points to the factory are two tunnels with stairwells going up." She said. "There is a large wall that separates both staircases and narrows them out, but it we blow it up, we have the perfect entrance for an army."

"But would it kill the slaves?" obi-wan asked.

Shadow shook her head. "Not if we attack after dark. The slaves go to the rock houses they have, surrounded by an electric fence. They'll be safe there until we can reach them. Besides, no one dares try to escape anyways. There's been no way off planet until now, and you'd most likely die in the desert."

Anakin thought it sounded like Tatooiene, minus the thermal detonator they installed in your skin to blow up escaped slaves.

"Won't they seal off the maitence tunnels even further if they expect an attack?" Anakin asked.

Shadow grinned. "They don't expect you to know about them. And, besides, they had to march the slaves back when I left the group marching to the second factory and destroyed it. They found a well, so they've probably survived the trip, but they must just figure I died on the way back. Several slaves died on the way there, and the overseers don't care whose body is who. They don't know I'm here."

Anakin nodded. He was formulating a plan.

"Thanks, Shadow. Go rest now." He said.

Shadow stood her ground. "You'd be insane to go in the tunnels without a guide. Even the older girls with maps painted on their cheeks die occasionally. Even with a glow rod, it gets confusing. Besides, the first thing they'll threaten is the slaves, claiming them as hostages. You need someone who knows the slaves to convince and protect them and stop panic. You need me, Anakin. You need me."

"You've worked in the tunnels?" he asked.

"For a whole year. Some girls don't even last that long. Then they found I was good with droids and put me on the assembly line. I can tell you about that, too."

Anakin felt a pain inside him, imagining his small sister working in the dank tunnels, risking getting lost on a daily basis, running around, delivering supplies. He hated the thought of her assembling Separatist battle droids even more.

"I sabotaged the droids, though." Shadow said confidently.

Anakin really didn't want to hear anymore. Some color had drained from his face, Obi-wan saw, and he seemed to be edgy.

"Yes, any information you have." Obi-wan said quickly.

Anakin closed his eyes but listened.

"The assembly lines are over here, on the east side of the factory, and there's a hollow, really more a crater, to the west. That's where the slave village is. Really inconvenient for the men, and some skilled women, who run the assembly lines, they have to rush there or they're whipped. The tunnels lead in the middle of the factory, one for the west side, and one to the east. And, upstairs, is where the masters live. The high and mighties, we call them. The factory supervisors. The women are forced to serve them, the boys and men are on the factory line, and girls from ages three to thirteen work the tunnels."

"If you have a child that's under three, they are watched by droids, but the elders of the town stay and watch the little ones, until they die. Once you reach fifty five, you're considered an elder, since most don't live that long." Shadow said, a bit coldly.

"We get to sleep from dark to dawn, and so that's when you'll want to attack." She finished confidently.

Anakin's stomach had begun to churn, thinking of the horrors of the slave life shadow hadn't described, and he felt nauseous.

"What happens when you get hurt on the assembly line?" Anakin asked, eyes still closed. Ashoka shot him a nervous glance. On assembly lines, they all knew it was entirely possible and common for the workers to get hurt.

"Oh, then you go back to the village and they do what they can for you. For example, last month, I got caught in a droid explosion, and they-'

"You what?" Anakin's eyes were open wide now, and he was staring at Shadow. He was almost snow white now.

"I got caught in an explosion.' Shadow said evenly.

"Were you hurt?" Anakin asked.

"Not bad." Shadow said quietly. "I blacked out and they took me back to the village, and I stayed out for three days. They said I might have some minor internal injuries when I woke up, but mainly it was just broken bones and a concussion…."

"You call that not bad?" Anakin asked.

"Yes, not bad compared to the others, since the boy next to me died." Shadow said calmly. "I was lucky. I was tore up bad, they said the bone was sticking out of my arm, but I didn't have to get any limbs cut off. It happened to Tognat, and so now he can hardly work. And his stub might be infected…"

Anakin felt like he really was going to vomit now. Not from the gory details, but for not insisting to the Jedi he had to search for Shadow and had to find her. From the guilt of allowing her to live through it all and not being there a month ago, when she had needed him most.

"get back to the med wing." Anakin said quietly.

"What?" shadow asked.

"I said, get back to the med wing." Anakin said, opening his eyes.

"but Anakin, I-"

"Now." Anakin said coldly, hoping to scare her back.

"You think that tone will scare me, but you're wrong." Shadow took a step forward and faced him. "I've faced overseers worse than you."

That tore open the wound Anakin was fighting inside, the realization he had left her here on the planet, and he moved towards her.

"I'll carry you, then." He said quietly.

"Anakin." Obi-wan gave him a warning look.

Shadow had her hand on her light saber, and Anakin knew she would ignite it and dual him. Even if it only stung when you were hit, Anakin knew he wouldn't unsheathe his own light saber to fight her.

Anakin left the room, and he didn't come back.

Shadow sighed. "He dwells on the past, but he can't change it. I don't blame him for anything." She left the room and went to the med wing, hoping it would calm Anakin down.

Obi-wan went out to find Anakin, knowing his companion was in pain he couldn't fix, but that he would have to try.

Chapter 15

Obi-wan found him sitting on a large rock outside, retching.

He summoned the force and leaped up beside his companion, who was still vomiting.

"Are you well?" Obi-wan asked, concerned. He reached out his hand to feel if his fellow was hot. Anakin push him away. "Don't-" Anakin started, but he gagged and didn't finished.

Finally, he was still.

"Anakin, are you sick?" Obi-wan asked again. His companion rarely got sick, but he also rarely acted like this. Obi-wan asked, though he knew the answer was no.

"No." Anakin said distantly. "Upset, maybe. And disgusted."

Obi-wan sighed and waited.

"It was my fault she was here, my fault she was caught in a droid explosion, and the first one, my fault she had to risk her life in the tunnels, my fault she's as sick as she was-"

"Stop!" obi-wan commanded. Anakin looked surprised.

"Did you ever consider it was the will of the force that she was here? That she learned, so she could help us overtake the planet and grow in the force. Anakin, you've felt her grasp on the force. It's breath-taking, the way she's advanced. Did you ever think it wasn't your fault, but her destiny? She's not scarred in anyways-"

"You don't' know that. She was injured internally." Anakin said.

"Yes, but everyone you love, Anakin, every person you are attached to- you cannot change their destiny. The will of the force is stronger than yours. You must accept that, and accept their fate. It is detachment. Besides, you have a padawan in there, as well as her. Don't you think you should be teaching and planning instead of out here, making yourself sick?"

"I am torn between them both." Anakin said quietly.

"No.' obi-wan said quietly. "You wish to protect them both, but you can't But they are friends, Anakin. Don't you see the light in their eyes when they see one another? You aren't torn. You are bothered by the change in her destiny. Wondering who will take her on as padawan. We need Shadow on this mission, as well as Ashoka, and you cannot protect them both. You must accept it."

Anakin nodded. "I will try, master. But they should examine her again the med-wing. I'm afraid she's worse."

Obi-wan nodded. "That is reasonable. But, Anakin, we should attack tomorrow night."

Anakin nodded. "She will be well by then. I can feel it."

Obi-wan shook his head. "The question my friend, is, will you be well by then?"

Anakin wasn't sure, but he nodded anyways.

Chapter 16

You look tired." Shadow said to Ashoka when she walked into the med-wing. Ashoka nodded. "I'm exhausted. Anakin's not happy with you, though."

Shadow let out an exasperated sigh. "I know. He just always tries to protect me. I'm ten years old. He needs to let go.'

Ashoka nodded. "I agree. But still, he just wants to protect you because he loves you. He doesn't have any other sisters."

Shadow nodded. "And Mom's gone, so all he had is his half-brother." Ashoka nodded, and then started. "He has a half-brother?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," shadow said quietly. "We do."

"Wait…" Ashoka says quietly. "If Anakin didn't have a father, did you?"

Shadow shakes her head. "Nope. Obi-wan is my father, kind of. He sort of adopted the Skywalkers after Qui-gon died. I mean, it's not really official or anything, it just is."

Ashoka nodded quietly.

Just then, the medic entered. "general skywalker wants you examined again.'

Shadow lets out a deep sigh. "Sure, why not?" she said sarcastically.

Ashoka got up to leave. "No. Don't go. She grins at her. "I still have to vent."

Ashoka nods. "I'll be back soon. I'm going to see if Anakin will let you have real food.'

Shadow nods and smiles.

When Ashoka returned the medic was gone, and she held two plates of protein cubes.

Shadow smiled when she saw her companion.

"How'd you do?" Ashoka asked nervously.

"fit for duty." Shadow said quietly. "I don't have to stay here anymore. Thank the stars. Now I can start repaying you.'

"Repaying me?" Ashoka was confused.

"Yeah. You've brought me stuff when I asked for it and all. I felt kind of bad, since I couldn't do anything for you."

"You're teaching me how to force-heal." Ashoka pointed out. "That's something.'

Shadow's eyes lit up.

"Close your eyes and try to heal yourself again.' She said happily.

Ashoka did so. She felt another bit of the force entering her, a bit more than last time. Then she felt a huge presence, the force wrapping around her and filling her, healing her, rejuvenating her.

Ashoka opened her eyes a few moments later. "That was amazing!" She said excitedly. Shadow nodded. "Now you know why I heal so fast."

Just then, Anakin walked in. "Shadow, you're on the mission. We leave tomorrow morning." He said neutrally.

"Thanks." Shadow said. Things were still icy between them.

Anakin stepped inside.

"Tell me the truth. Are you sure you're all right?" he asked quietly.

Shadow nodded. "Yes. I feel fine. Excited, even. I can't wait to be a Jedi again."

Anakin stepped forward and felt her forehead. He looked into his eyes. She met hir gaze unwaveringly.

"Okay. You can go."

"Thank you." Shadow said quietly.

"Master." Ashoka said hopefully. "Can Shadow stay in my room tonight?" Anakin nodded. "If you two want to." He said evenly. He left.

Ashoka couldn't explain it, but something had passed between them in that moment when Anakin had looked into her eyes. Her strong, steady gaze had answered his question, and her thank you had been an apology.

"You'd really let me stay in your room?" Shadow asked, awed.

Ashoka nodded. "It's not very big, but it's cooler here."

Shadow nodded. "I've had way too much dessert these two years."

They left together, into the map room.

Chapter 17

"Are you two ever going to sleep?" Anakin asked, slightly annoyed. But he was more amused. He had never seen either girl so happy before.

"You made me sleep for two days. Now it's fun time." Shadow said happily.

Anakin noted with surprise that Shadow's hair was in a neat braid down her back. No doubt Ashoka's work.

And Shadow had painted the map system onto Ashoka's cheeks.

"What color do you want your nails?" Ashoka asked.

"Don't even try." He said to Ashoka. Shadow looked horrified.

"I hate having my nails done.' She said. "I can never use the force when they are. "

Ashoka looked shocked. "Really?" she asked. Shadow nodded. "Really. I just… can't. It's too distracting. Seems like my fingers are covered in gunk and weighed down. I never have been able to bear it."

Anakin rolled his eyes and left.

He heard giggling behind the door and rolled his eyes again. But he was smiling.

"I take it they aren't sleeping?" Obi-wan was watching him, amused, from where he leaned up against the wall.

Anakin shook his head, but his smile didn't change. "They're both happy to have a friend." He said

He sighed as there was more laughter. "But that means they won't sleep." He said quietly.

He fell into step beside Obi-wan. It was good to be alone with his master. Everything moved too fast around here.

"She's very strong." Obi-wan said quietly, freeing Anakin from his own thoughts.

"She healed herself in two days." Obi-wan remarked.

Anakin nodded. "Yes. I'm surprised her fever's gone away so quickly." Anakin cast a worried glance back at the map room. "Still, she should be resting."

"Yes, I was thinking so too, what with the mission ahead and all."

"Let's let them talk a little longer." Anakin said. "They've just met, and already they act like sisters."

Obi-wan nodded his agreement, but still looked wary. The clones were on guard tonight, after the recent bombing. The rest were inside, resting and preparing for the fighting the next night would entail.

Still, Anakin couldn't push aside his worry.

He hated to admit it, but he didn't want to risk Shadow on the mission tomorrow.

Chapter 18

Anakin again fell into a restless sleep. The two girls he cared about most would endanger themselves tomorrow. He could lose one of them, or both.

He awoke with heightened senses the next morning, no doubt due to the worry he felt. He sensed they were sleeping now- a good sign, after being up late planning the last night. Anakin left there breakfasts on the holo table, and smiled at the sight of the girls curled up together, side by side.

"Rest." He whispered, though he knew they couldn't hear them. He left.

Rex, Obi-wan, and himself fine-tuned the plan from the information they had received the night before. They would be attacking from the first available exit hatch, and then use thermal detonators to destroy the droids battled by the hanger. While Obi-wan destroyed the droids by the hanger, Shadow would lead the force through the tunnel with ashoka.

Anakin, meanwhile, would lead a team of low-flying star fighters and bomb the factory, taking care to miss the slave camp, and creating a diversion.

Ashoka would take out the power supply of the factory while the clones battled the droids inside. Shadow would then go and protect the slaves, and Ashoka would disable the gunners inside the factory. The air force would land and fight, and then, the factory would be destroyed by an airstrike from above, more powerful than the few starships. And a cargo ship would arrive and airlift the slaves.

It was a good plan, but complicated. More complicated than Anakin had wanted it to be. But it had to be that way.

Around noon, Ashoka and Shadow entered the main room. Everyone seemed to stop when they saw her hair was in a braid. Shadow shrugged them off. "I didn't want it to ignite, like last time." She said.

Anakin grimaced at the memory. He had had to cut the singed ends of her long brown hair off with his knife.

"That wasn't a pleasant day." Anakin agreed.

The day passed by with Ashoka reviewing the plans, as well as Shadow, and troopers preparing for the assault.

Shadow checked her light saber, as well as the power levels. Ashoka did the same with hers.

Dusk grew closer, and Anakin looked uneasily outside.

The troops on the ground would have to start their trek now.

Shadow started to walk out with the troops, but turned and looked to him. He must have looked incredibly sad, because she ran towards him and hugged him for a moment. He held her tight, wanting to keep her safe in his arms forever.

"Stay safe, alright?" Anakin heard his voice crack again.

Shadow pulled back and looked into his eyes, grinning. "I'll look both ways before I cross the road.' She teased.

"I finally taught you something." Anakin said, giving her a weak smile.

"I love you." He whispered.

But she didn't hear him.

She waved as she left, still grinning, hurrying to lead her troops.

As soon as she left, a wave of pure terror swept over Anakin.

_She's going again._ He thought. _No, she's already gone. It's just like last time, all over again. I'm going to lose her. She won't be prepared. Except this time, slavery won't be enough for the sith. They'll kill her. She's only ten. I can' let her do this._

He felt Obi-wan put a hand on his shoulder, bringing him back to reality.

"I have to go-" Anakin started.

Obi-wan shook his head. "You can't protect her forever, Anakin. Rex is on the squad, he'd give his life for her, and you know it."

"You knew she was going to die! You didn't tell me!' Anakin yelled at Obi-wan. Obi-wan stared, taken aback.

"Who said anything about dying?" he asked Anakin.

"It's just like the last time. Something's going to happen, I can feel it. She's going to die!" Anakin was on the verge of tears, and he thanked the stars Obi-wan was the only person still at the outpost.

Obi-wan stared at his companion, the friend he had known for so long, about to drown in his own insecurities.

"Don't think." He finally said. "Just follow through on your part of the plan. She won't die."

Anakin bit his lip. Obi-wan saw so much of the boy he had used to be. He wished the council hadn't sent him on this mission, and knew the stress of it all was going to take a toll on him. He noticed the blood running down Anakin's chin from where he bit his lip and felt sorrow wash over him.

"Don't think." He said again quietly.

"Just do."

Anakin nodded and headed to his delta 5-89 cruiser. He was going to fly up to the star cruiser above and meet his squad in the hanger, and they would orbit the planet until the diversion was called in.

Anakin pulled down the domed top and started the engines. He even had a relatively normal take off, not trying the dangerous moves he knew just to make Obi-wan nervous. Obi-wan watched until the starship disappeared, then hurried out to catch up to shadow.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 19

The troops were marching in formation as they neared the entry point. It was a mere fifteen clicks away, compared to the twenty seven click journey over rocky cliffs and crags to get to the canyon.

The dessert came alive at night, shadow knew. But they couldn't risk a glow rod. The clone trooper's armor would protect them from snakes and any other dessert pests, but she warned Obi-wan and Ashoka, who had no armor on, of the dangers.

She already knew how to sense them. She threw her focus out wide around her, like a net. She sensed all the troopers, what lay ahead and behind her, and how far away the entry point was.

Gardunda snake a mile right- Jiji bird directly overheard. It was then she sensed the Haramunax. It was a hyena like creature, which slumbered during the day and came out at night. It pranced on two legs when fighting, confusing it's opponent and then pouncing in for the kill with its powerful jaws.

It was coming in from the side, Obi-wan's side. It smelled the fresh meat.

Shadow moved to the side, behind Obi-wan.

"I need your light saber." She whispered. "Please. There's danger. I can't do anything with a training light saber."

Obi-wan looked dubious. It was against jedi code to give away or trade light sabers. But Obi-wan had promised Anakin her would protect her. He handed it to her just as the Haramunax jumped into her line of view.

It pranced on its two legs, hoping from one side to another, hissing savagely. Shadow ignited the light saber in a motion too fast to see. She didn't like the hilt in her hand, or the feel of it. But she had to use it, and it seemed almost as though it were an extension of Obi-wan, giving her comfort.

"Take the troops ahead.' Shadow ordered him. "I'll catch up. This thing won't stop stalking you until its dead."

"Take the troops ahead." Obi-wan ordered Ashoka. They marched on, Obi-wan and shadow staying behind.

Obi-wan ignited the training light saber.

"Don't even try it, obi-wan." There was something pleading in Shadow's voice. "It'll kill you faster than you can blink."

Obi-wan stepped forward to engage, though, and the Haramunax pounced. Obi-wan slashed at it with the light saber, but it moved faster than he anticipated, so he couldn't get enough force behind the training weapon to kill it. It raked its claws across his face and moved in to kill, but the force filled the hot desert air- it almost crackled with it- and shadow used the force to push the beast away from Obi-wan.

The creature, frightened and agitated, resumed its hopping on two legs.

"Believe me now?" Shadow asked.

Obi-wan wiped the dust and blood from his cheek.

"I promised Anakin I would protect you.' He said quietly.

"I don't need protecting, obi-wan." Shadow said, smiling over at him. Just then, the Haramunax saw she was distracted. It jumped toward her.

Obi-wan yelled, but before he could blink, shadow whirled around and chopped the creature in half, before it had even touched her.

It thrashed for a moment, then lay still.

"Let's go.' Shadow said, extinguishing the light saber and tossing it to Obi-wan. He handed her training light saber back. Even in the darkness, Shadow could sense his awed expression.

'Distraction is the key, obi-wan.' She said quietly, as they hurried to catch up to the troops. "If you act distracted it will come, and you can strike."

Obi-wan nodded, and shadow must have sensed that too, even as they were running.

Shadow laughed suddenly. "I never thought about it obi-wan, but two years here has all been focused around what you taught me. Patience.'

Obi-wan smiled in the darkness. "focus, and be vigilant, and the force will open new doors for you.' He said. It was a phrase he had told Anakin many times as a young padawan, but it now rang true in his mind. Shadow was proof. Two years enslaved here had given her a great deal more power, and a stronger connection to the force. He watched her move now, expertly guiding them forward, and realized she was padawan ready. The rest of the council just had to see it.

"They're up ahead.' Shadow said, freeing Obi-wan from his thoughts.

She sensed, rather than saw it, he knew. "Half a click to the entrance." She said.

"Obi-wan straightened his satchel of thermal detonators on his back.

"That reminds me.' He said. He handed to shadow. She looked up questioningly at him as they ran, but took them.

"Anakin's not going to like it." She said quietly.

"I'm protecting you, remember?" obi-wan said.

Shadow flashed him a grin and they reached the troops, who were just converging on the entrance.

Ashoka was already cutting away at the entrance, and Obi-wan joined her. They used the force to remove the heavy metal cover, and Obi-wan used the force to destroy the alarm that sat by the tunnel entrance. The jedi entered, and the clones followed behind them.

Shadow pointed Obi-wan towards that hanger.

"They'll ambush you.' She warned him. "And, please, don't blow up the tunnel."

Obi-wan grinned and hurried down towards the hanger.

Shadow and Ashoka took the lead, leading the troops down the large tunnel as the formation constricted due to the narrowness of the tunnel.

"Stop." The whispered order when from row to row until all soldiers were stationary.

"Twenty meters ahead." Shadow whispered to Ashoka. Reaching out with the force to make sure no slaves were around, they each secured one of the detonators Anakin had given him to one side of the staircase.

They then sprinted down and met at the bottom, and ran back towards the clone troopers. They were both blown off their feet. They staggered to their feet again and the clones surged forward.

Ashoka and Anakin ignited there light sabers and slashed through droids as they entered.

"Gotta go.' Shadow said, running off towards the slave camp. Ashoka understood she had to go prepare the slaves to leave. She headed for the main power cell room, which Shadow had said was by the droid assembly lines.'

Chapter 20

Obi-wan was fending off droids as best he could as they poured in. he had started the onslaught by tossing a thermal detonator in front of him, which had shook the tunnel with force, nearly blasting Obi-wan off his feet.

Then the surviving droids had rushed at him from all directions, at least fifty of them, all wielding blasters. Obi-wan cut down droid after droid, his eyes watering from the smoke. He hoped Ashoka and Shadow had made out alright.

Shadow cut through droids as she rushed to the slave village. She fought down emotion that threatened to strangle her. She needed to hurry and forget. But her emotion and nausea still rose in her throat. Tears blurred her eyes, but she used the force to guide her.

_Focus. _She thought fiercely. _The mission is at hand. _She reached out to the force, her eyes drying as she raced towards the ones she had lived by for two years. She felt there presence, sensed they had heard the explosions and were on the verge of panic.

She sliced down a super battle droid and charged forward, breaking through the smoke. She started up the winding trail that led to the crater, hardened with purpose now.

She burst through the choking smoke, eyes streaming tears and light saber held high. Her companions were running about, frantic and hurrying, trying to escape. But there was no escape yet.

"_**STOP**_!" Shadow's screamed warning stopped the slaves momentarily.

"THE JEDI ARE HERE!" Shadow screamed about the noise that still roused frantically.

She spoke in Geonoshian next, so all could understand. But all eyes were on her light saber.

"The jedi will protect you. Return to your homes and gather what you can carry. They will be here soon." Shadow assured them.

She flipped her comlink on. "Send in the cargo ship to crater." Shadow said.

Just then, droids rushed through the gate into the crater, wielding stun baton. Shrieks were heard through the crowd.

Shadow looked alarmed for a moment, but the force gave her strength. Suddenly, she saw every dust particle in the crater, every being, every droid and weapon. Time slowed down. She flew around the stun batons, attacking from behind, flipping and moving, using the fore to push droids away from Slaves.

She caught a glancing blow on the cheek from the stun baton, and she felt the shock rifle through her. The energy burned the flesh on her cheek, and she choked off the cry of pain in her throat, keeping her focus, until all the droids were a heap of smoking metal on the ground.

Suddenly, she looked up.

The cargo ship had arrived.

Ashoka screamed as the power cell exploder, electrocuting her. Just when she though she couldn't take it anymore, she used the force to push away.

She lay on the floor for a moment, gasping for breath. She had electricity burns on her arms. But her mission was complete. The power cell was finished. She just needed to finish by taking out the mounted guns. She started up the stairs to where the guns were located, heart pounding, and breath coming in short wisps.

It was there she found the battalion of battle droids.

Anakin piloted the Delta as best he could. But he was breaking out in a cold sweat. He wondered about how the girls were doing.

He had received word that the cargo ship had arrived, and Shadow was evacuating the slaves. There was no further news on Ashoka.

He shot down at the main mounted guns on top of the factory, taking out most and willing Ashoka not to get hurt by them. The battle below had just begun, with a group of clone troopers rushing unexpectedly out from behind the rocks. That had been a last minute detail.

Anakin hurried to land the starship and jumped out, igniting his light saber as he went. He looked around. There was no sign of Ashoka or Shadow. Just the battle in front of him.

Anakin reached out with the force.

He sensed they were both alive. He couldn't try to pry any further, though, because blaster fire pinged by his head, and he ducked.

He raced forward, not exactly frantic but fighting off the worry inside him, his fear, and his dark thoughts.

He rushed forward.

Obi-wan sliced through the last droid- it fell with a satisfying clang. He knew he needed to get back to the battle sight. He found the stair case ahead and the walls around it crumbling and caving. He felt a pang of worry for a moment, but then shook his head. On the com, he had heard the cargo ship had arrived, and the factory had lost power a short while ago. The girls were fine. Obi-wan rushed out to help Anakin.

Shadow held onto the ship with her cable launcher and held Tognat with the other hand. He was heavy, and pulled down on the quite a bit. His one good arm was secured to the cable. Shadow wrapped her arm around his torso, giving him a feeling of security and comfort. She knew it had to be terrifying going up with only one arm. His infected stub had worsened, and he would only live if he saw a medic soon. He groaned as they went up, but smiled.

"Shadow.' He said in geonoshian. "My little Jedi.'

Shadow smiled, and he returned the look weakly. "I must help with the battle, Tognat. " I said as I reached the ship. Clones helped to pull Tognat aboard, and His wife, Geoneia, and children rushed to him. A clone interrupted her.

"General skywalker has ordered you stay about the ship, Sir.' He said.

Shadow shook her head hurriedly. "His judgment is clouded by affection." She said quickly.

She looked down at the crater, now emptied of its inhabitants.

The clone commander grabbed her cable launcher before she could move away.

"Those were direct orders, Sir. He told me you would resist."

The commander saw the heartbreak on her face. It pained him. "I'm sorry, Sir, but I can't let you go.'

"No." shadow said. "Anakin can't let me go. _I'm sorry, _commander."

Before he could grab her, Shadow rushed to the open doors of the ship and jumped out.

She didn't realize that she hadn't learned a proper landing at the temple yet until it was already too late. Panic rose in her throat as she flew through the air, as well as nausea. She could have just sealed her fate.

_Focus._ She told herself. _You only have a few seconds. _She gathered the force around her, felt her wrap herself in it. Again, time slowed down. She saw all possible places to land, and chose the one instinct pointed out. Then, he mind was blank.

_Obi-wan… _shadow screamed in her mind. _Help! _

Obi-wan's voice came to her once again. _Patience. Be vigilant and focus, and the force will open many doors for you._

Shadow tried to focus again. The ground loomed closer. She spread out her arms and legs to reduce drag. She tried to trust her instinct, and suddenly it took over. She landed and went into a roll to absorb the shock, then started to run down the path, towards the factory. She was surprised she wasn't even hurt. Her blood slowed and stopped pounding in her ears.

She sensed Ashoka needed her. She rushed up the stairs, to where the droids were, and started fighting furiously beside the young padawan,. Ashoka was relieved. She had been struggling until Shadow came, now they fought side by side, ready to face anything.

Ashoka felt the new energy of the force Shadow brought rejuvenate her. She had been ready to give up before. It was then she realized Shadow was healing her. The wounds on her arms were slowly lessening. And still shadow fought and concentrated.

When, together, they forced the last droid into the wall with the force, they nodded to one another. It was then they heard the engines rev.

Wordlessly, they ran upstairs to find the sith leaders of the factory, no doubt trade federation workers, trying frantically, to take off from the roof. All the big guns had been destroyed, and Wordlessly, Shadow and Ashoka jumped onto the ship, Ashoka beginning to cut a hole in it with her light saber. The ship took off then, flying above the battle that raged below.

Ashoka kept cutting. Suddenly, Shadow grabbed her and jumped off the ship, taking Ashoka with her. Ashoka got into landing position. But she was shaken. Why was Shadow doing this?

Then she heard the ship explode above them.

She looked aside to Shadow, who wore a grim expression and looked to be controlling panic. She stretched out, as did Ashoka, but instead of using the force to literally slow her speed, she kept diving. Ashoka stared in horror. Didn't Shadow know how to land?

Shadow was falling faster than Ashoka. Ashoka didn't think she could watch her companion die and land right. But she was helpless.

Shadow hit the ground, rolling to absorb the shock. Ashoka barely registered this before she landed perfectly, taking out droids with a sweep of her light saber. Shadow pulled her away just as the burning wreckage of the ship fell around them. They used the force to dodge the flaming obstacles, but the droids were crushed beneath them.

The clones were losing ground. Shadow started to run towards the factory. If they could find weapon in there, they might be able to help well.

Anakin heard his comlink come on. "General skywalker, Sir, Shadow has escaped. She jumped out of the transport."

Anakin felt Panic rifle through him. Shadow hadn't know how to land. "We are unsure of her status. She may be wounded." The clone continued.

Anakin couldn't be hearing this right now. He was fighting a losing battle now, he knew, even with Obi-wan beside him. He felt his breathing and heart speed up.

Then, he saw the ship taking off from the top of the factory. The leaders abandoning it. But what he also saw was Ashoka and Shadow on the transport. Asoka was trying to cut a hole with her light saber. Shadow did something- he didn't know what- then grabbed Ashoka and jumped off. The girls separated in mid-air as the transport above the, exploded. Ashoka was in perfect landing position, be Anakin remembered with horror that Shadow did not know how to land. He reached out with the force, but knew he was too late. He couldn't bare to watch her die, yet he couldn't bear to close his eyes as she fell, fell, fell. She hit the ground and rolled, Ashoka landing in a kneeling position near her. Shadow got to her feet and ran, just as flaming wreckage buried them both.

""NO!" the scream was torn from him, and his rage pushing him forward, bringing down droids by the dozen.

Obi-wan watched his companion explode into a rage after he saw his padawan and sister crushed, fighting with an unknown fury. Obi-wan was angry, too, but he knew he must focus at the task at hand. But his heart broke to see his companion in so much pain as he fought beside him.

He knew they must win this battle, so it hadn't been in vain.

He closed off all emotion, or he felt he would die. Then, he kept fighting the battle before him.

Ashoka and Shadow rushed by the droids, bringing them down as they went. In the weapon's room, they were greeted by a horrible surprise- nothing. And there was a worse surprise to come. Anakin had called in the air strike minutes before. They were now zooming through the atmosphere to bring down the very factory they were in. All the clones had vacated the area, but a troop of droids marched in, stopping both girls in their tracks. They would have to fight again.

Shadow must have hit her comlink on something during the battle, because all that could be heard on the other end was the girl's screaming.

"Ashoka! Cover me!" shadow yelled. Shadow was so tempted to just the last thermal detonator Obi-wan had given her- she had used the last one to blow up the leaving ship.

There was heavy breathing and so much blaster fire they were nearly drown out.

"There driving us towards the assembly line!" Ashoka screamed. Then there was a cry of pain, and Shadow's comlink went dead as a droid stepped on her arm.

"Ashoka! Shadow!" Anakin had taken cover behind a rock and was trying fiercely to contact his padawan. "The air strike! It's coming! Get out of there!" he yelled. But in the electrocution with the power cell, Ashoka's comlink had gone dead. Anakin slumped, facing utter defeat. He would never get to the factory in time.

It was Obi-wan who had to grab him and drag him out of range of the air strike.

"They're still in the factory." Anakin said miserably. Obi-wan nodded grimly.

Just then, the air strike flew in, and the factory began to crumble. Anakin fell to his knees and looked at the ground. He felt all his hope fading as the factory collapsed.

The factory had begun to fall in. All around them, rubble and rock was caving in on the droids. Shadow pulled Ashoka into a nook by the stairwell, where an ugly statue of a horrific creature stood.

They force pushed the statue away, and stood, clinging to one another, as the factory fell in on itself.

Finally, everything around them, even the wall, began to collapse. And then it was dark.

Ashoka ignited her light saber. "We're going to run out of oxygen." Shadow said.

Ashoka nodded grimly.

'We have to get to the tunnel. It's just down the stairwell.' Shadow said.

She used the force to push away rubble, Ashoka cutting through a Dura steel sheet that had fallen in front of them.

They had never known moving rubble could be so exhausting. Shadow pushed away rocks and fought as they reached the tunnel, finally. They each sat a moment, gasping for breath and sucking in the musty air.

Finally, Shadow spoke. "The tunnel's damaged. It could collapse any time.' Ashoka nodded at the supports which were fractured and charred, twisted on the ground ahead of her.

"I see only one way out.' She said quietly. "We blow it up."

Anakin was filled with grief and disbelief. The clones were currently looking for the remains by the weapons room- or what would have been the weapons room- of the factory.

Anakin walked over, though he didn't think he could take it. He gathered the force around him and tried to sense around him, on the rubble heap that had been the factory. One the factory grounds, Anakin got no living sense of either girl.

Then he was directed to something in the rubble. It was old and warped, bit it had once been something. Anakin picked it up and felt it in his hand. Shadows light saber.

"Wouldn't the tunnel collapse?" Ashoka asked breathlessly.

Shadow nodded. "It might. And we'd have to get away from the thermal detonator pretty fast. But it's the only way out."

Ashoka shook her head, as if to clear it. The force came and guided her to the right conclusion. Shadow was right. "Go farther down the tunnel, out of range." Shadow said. That way the explosion won't kill you, and if the tunnel collapses, one of us will get out."

Ashoka shook her head. 'I do it." She said grimly.

The tunnel creaked. Shadow slapped the detonator on the wall and pressed the button. They had about twenty seconds to get twenty yards away. Neither girl had run so fast before.

They stopped, gasping, and the detonator exploded. The heat was unbelievable, and the force of it threw them even farther back.

There was a gaping hole in the wall of the tunnel now. The walls of the tunnel had begun the shake now. Not visible to the eye, but the force told them so. They both started to run for the exit, through the smoke and haze, across the musty floor.

They both force jumped at the same time, landing outside just as the tunnel collapsed bellow them, sending up a giant wave of dust.

Anakin had just found some charred strands of hair in the rubble and was struggling not to lose his sanity when he saw the explosion. Instantly, he was on his feet, running towards it, Obi-wan and Rex behind him.

_Please. _He thought. _Please. Let it be them._ He begged silently. It took a moment for the dust to clear. He saw Shadow and Ashoka laying on the ground. Shadow was coughing up blood. Ashoka looked as though she was going to vomit. Both girls were alive.

Anakin wrapped both girls in a hug. The both let out cries of pain, and he hurriedly let them go.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

In that instant, Shadow started to cough up more blood in reply, and Ashoka seemed to be on the verge of blacking out.

A medic rushed over. He looked from girl to girl, not sure which one to treat first.

"I'm good.' Shadow said, coughing up bloody saliva that hung from her mouth and horrified Anakin. The medic moved to Ashoka.

Obi-wan went to shadow, while Anakin hovered between both girls.

Obi-wan knew he couldn't make Shadow's pain stop. He could only murmur soothing words and rub her back as her chest heaved and rattled and she spit more blood into the sand. Obi-wan had her lay down, but she just shook her head, coughing up a bloody froth. "I'm drowning." She gasped. She sat up, breathing heavily. Obi-wan noticed the sheen of sweat on her skin, and suddenly she went limp. He caught her as she fell and picked her up. The medic had done what he could for Ashoka, and now hurried over to obi-wan.

Anakin studied all the blood she had coughed up. It was a bright red, and it couldn't be absorbed into the dust, there was so much. Pools of it lay on the ground.

The medic spoke to Obi-wan as he examined her. "Did she cough up any frothy blood?" he asked quietly. "Yes." Obi-wan said. "She started sweating, and then she just blacked out.

The medic shook his head. "I can't do anything here.' He said quietly.

Obi-wan nodded and stood up, Shadow still in his arms. Their transport had arrived.

The clones stood up and hung onto the straps that came down from the ceiling. Anakin held Ashoka in his arms and looked over at Obi-wan worriedly.

Shadow was wheezing and coughing, and Obi-wan had her in a sitting position, but it wasn't enough. Shadow coughed up a frothy mouthful of blood. She opened her eyes for a moment and stared at Obi-wan, confused. Then she wiped her mouth on her sleeve and smiled. "You came for me.' She said quietly. She blacked out again.

The ride to the cruiser seemed to drag on. It was worse for the clone troopers, Anakin knew. They had to stare at them both, unconscious and possibly dying. The veterans had known Shadow since she was a girl. She had saved all their lives at least once, and they were grieving her pain, too, he knew.

On the ship, the med team had already arrived. The medic had stayed down on the planet to help other wounded, so they went through the process all over again, describing the symptoms and such.

Ashoka required treatment for minor burns, and exhaustion. Both girls had gotten a fever, she knew.

It was a while before he saw Shadow again. Finally, a droid assistant came out to speak with them.

"Sever lung infection is causing the expulsion of blood." He said simply. "We will treat it with antibiotics." He turned and left.

"That's a lot of detailed information." Anakin said sarcastically. He felt fear searing into them that he hadn't felt before.

An hour later, he was ushered into the room. Ashoka and Shadow lay side by side in on two sleep couches.

Anakin felt both of their foreheads. "They're both hot.' He said quietly.

Each had an IV, and shadow was wearing an Oxy-gen mask. That scared Anakin more than anything.

The medical droid came in with a data pad. "You may view the diagnoses." He announced, and left.

Anakin accessed the data pad and searched hungrily.

Ashoka's condition was less serious. Severe exhaustion, elevated temperature, and energy burns on the arms.

Anakin looked in shock at the long list on Shadow's diagnosis.

Pulmonary Edema, severe exhaustion, energy burns to the face, severe sepsis, a cracked rib, elevated temperature, malnutrition, and dehydration.

Anakin had no idea what half of that meant.

He just had to trust the med staff.

He sighed, took in a deep breath, and let it out. _Patience. Calm yourself. She'll be alright._ Anakin focused the force and directed it to both Padawans. Shadow could use the extra strength to heal herself, he knew, and Ashoka was exhausted. He felt Obi-wan use the force at the same time beside him.

They gave each girl strength into the night, and long into the morning.

Part 2

Re-enrollment

Chapter 22

The bridge of the cruiser was less crowded than usual. They had lost a lot of clones in battle.

Both girls' progress had been amazing. Shadow, surprisingly, had had herself out of the med wing by the end of the first day of their journey back to coursing. Anakin was still cautious with both girls, though, since they were tired.

Ashoka sat by her master on the bridge, not saying much. Anakin knew she didn't like to leave his side, but he wished she would rest for a while.

Just then, Shadow stepped onto the bridge. She looked pale, Anakin noticed right away. But both girls did, now. She was shaking. That brought fresh fear into Anakin's heart, but he hid it well and observed her as she walked over to him.

She sat down beside him. Anakin noticed her teeth were chattering.

"Are you cold?" he asked.

Shadow nodded, wrapping her arms around her knees and hugging herself. "It's…so…_cold_… up here." She said. Anakin smiled at her and dug into his survival pack. He draped his thermal cape over her shoulders. Shadow drew it tighter around her.

"This isn't the desert anymore, shadow. You've traveled in space tons of times."

Shadow shook her head. "It was never this cold." She said quietly.

Anakin remembered when he had first traveled in space, or, the first time he had remembered, rather. He had been freezing, too, but too scared to ask for a blanket.

Shadow was shivering less violently now. Anakin felt her forehead. "You hot." He said, a bit concerned. He turned to Ashoka, who was now leaning against him. "And you are, too. Why don't you two rest?" he asked.

"No.' they both said in unison.

"You're warm." Shadow said quietly.

She crawled onto his lap and leaned against his chest. He knew she was listening to her heart beat, letting it lull her to sleep like a drum.

She leaned her cheek against his chest and grimaced, forgetting she had been energy burned. "Careful." Anakin said. Gently, Shadow adjusted her position and lay back down, careful not to aggravate her burn. Slowly, she fell asleep.

The heat from the two girls was like an over, and again he worried they were too sick to be out of the infirmary. But the med-team had assured them that, though they had fevers, they would be fine if they were kept warm and quiet for a few days.

_That'll be hard for shadow. _Anakin thought, moving the thermal cloak to cover her shaking shoulders. _She's used to one hundred ten degree weather._

Anakin's concern was interrupted by Obi-wan. "I see you've become a padawan magnet." Obi-wan said jokingly, looking at Anakin, both girls so close to him.

"Shadow's not a padawan.' Anakin said quietly.

"She will be soon. I saw her in battle. She's ready."

Anakin looked worried, but then disregarded the message.

"They're both hot." Anakin said, concerned.

Obi-wan felt each girl's forehead in concern. He studied shadow. "She's in a thermal cape, you know." He said.

Anakin nodded. "She said she was freezing." He said quietly.

"Not surprising, after two years in the dessert." Obi-wan reassured him.

"Yes… but they're so… listless." Anakin said quietly. He looked down at each of his companions, how Shadow limply leaned against his chest, and Ashoka, too, leaned into him.

Ashoka had never been so listless before, either. It worried him.

Shadow coughed, and blood dribbled down the corner of her mouth. Anakin gently wiped it off, being careful not to touch her energy burn.

Shadow whimpered. Anakin winced because he thought he had touched her energy burn. Then she thrashed violently for a moment, and was still.

"So she still has the nightmares." Anakin observed gently.

Anakin wrapped his arms around her, and she was calm again.

"Two hours until couasant, sir." A clone reported.

Anakin nodded and looked down at his companions.

Shadow's hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat. He gently brushed it aside.

"Another thing, too." Anakin said quietly. "I'm dying for answers. I want to know what in the world happened, how they got so hurt."

"Obviously, they would have told you if they wanted to talk." Obi-wan speculated.

"Yes, but I still want to know." Anakin said, a little frustrated.

Shadow stirred in his arms.

Obi-wan smiled down at her. "She can sense your feelings, Anakin. Even while she sleeps. Be careful what you say to her."

Anakin looked down and nodded. Shadow had grown so much in the force, it was hard to take in.

Anakin wondered what things would be like for her back at the temple. Would they ever stop whispering about her?

His comlink signaled. "Sir, it's time for her medicine." The medical droid politely informed him.

"Be right down." Anakin said quietly.

Very gently, he left Ashoka on the bridge, propped up so that she would still be leaning on the wall.

"Can you watch her?" Anakin asked obi-wan nervously.

"Doesn't look like she's going anywhere." Obi-wan said, giving Anakin a smile that said yes.

"Thanks." Anakin nodded and left with Shadow wrapped in his arms.

He took the turbo lift down to the med wing, making sure to keep himself relaxed, so shadow would sleep on. When he reached sickbay, he carried her in and set her down on a cot.

He didn't touch her, only called out with the force.

"What?" shadow blinked groggily and sat up, wincing as her rib ached.

"Sorry to wake you." Anakin said. 'I know I said you should rest. But you need your medicine."

Shadow slowly sat up and nodded.

The med-droid entered with a tube containing a blue liquid. Shadow didn't hide her disgust. Anakin guessed she was too tired too.

The medicine was like a shot in the mouth, without the needle. The droid quickly pushed down the plunger. Shadow swallowed and gagged, then took a deep breath and relaxed.

"Can we go now?" she asked Anakin, still tired. Anakin nodded.

Shadow got to her feet and followed him tiredly, trudging behind him back toward what she realized were her quarters.

"Obi-wan told me the council wanted to see you right when we got back, so you have to get your hair fixed and everything." Shadow nodded, still looking too tired to care.

Anakin found Ashoka, once again, in the quarters she and Shadow shared.

"Good to see you getting some rest.' Anakin commented when he saw Ashoka.

Ashoka shook her head and sat up,. "I only came because Obi-wan told me you were going to cut Shadow's hair."

Shadow just looked tired. "I don't' care who does what." She said solidly.

"Master, I don't trust you with her hair." Ashoka said plaintively.

"Fine. You can do it." Secretly,. Anakin was relieved. He hated cutting hair. "But cut out the singed parts, and make it look nice. That's all I ask."

Ashoka nodded and took the scissors he had borrowed from his medikit. She started towards shadow, who could barely sit up. Anakin left the room confidently. He was almost sorry when he had to wake the girls up two hours later.

Shadow had obviously taken a shower, since she smelled like flowers. Ashoka had done an amazing job with her hair, braiding it back and pinning one braid to eat side of her head like a crown.

"You two look beautiful." Anakin assured them. Shadow looked up at him, surprised. "Jedi aren't beautiful. We're warriors."

"Warriors can be beautiful." Shadow rolled her eyes at him.

Shadow did look beautiful, though. The temple had sent her a set of new tunics according to her last known side- Anakin was startled to find she wasn't much bigger. But in her white tunic, with her hair braided up and her flowery smell… she seemed almost.. Normal.

The energy burn Shadow had received was bandaged. Her cast was taken off her wrist. Her stitches had already been taken out. Still, her cheeks looked hollow, and she was so skinny.

Ashoka took something out of her utility bag. 'Take-up." She said quietly.

Shadow sighed. "No." she said.

"Common, it'll make you look beautiful." Ashoka said.

"I already am _beautiful_, unfortunately." Shadow said, looking at Anakin.

"It'll make you look a little less… starved." Ashoka tried.

"Common, Shadow." Anakin coaxed.

Shadow shook her head. "I don't want gunk all over my face. I already smell like flowers. Don't make this day any worse."

Anakin sighed. "Fine. Be so independent." He said, joking. Shadow didn't even smile. it was clear how tired she really was.

"Act happy." Anakin said, but he hated himself for having to order it.

"Could you try to be happy?" He asked cautiously.

Shadow shrugged. "I'll see what I can do." She said quietly.

They exited the ship.

Shadow was surprised. He sensed it. He was surprised, too, when he saw Yoda and Obi-wan waiting to escort her to the council chamber.

"Greetings, Masters." Shadow said respectfully, and bowed.

Anakin knew she was dying inside, with all this formality. She would soon settle in, he reassured himself.

"A long journey, you have taking, youngling." Yoda said, stepping forward.

"To hear your insights, we would like.'

"As you wish, masters." Shadow said. She fell into step beside Obi-wan and Yoda, answered the questions Yoda asked as they started towards the turbo lift.

The hanger was empty, but the halls were crowded with jedi students. Younglings, padawans, eve jedi, all just happened be outside. They all fell silent the moment she walked by.

Anakin and Ashoka walked behind them. Ashoka could sense Anakin's worry.

"She seems alright." Ashoka reassured him. Anakin nodded, but kept watching silently.

Shadow laughed at one point, then smiled at the wisdom yoda gave her. "Yes, that would seem a rational thing to do." She said.

Anakin watched her eyes as they walked through the temple.

At first, they had been dark, dull with the tiredness, pain, and stain she had faced on her journey back. But as they passed by the features of the temple, the surroundings she loved, her eyes began to come alive. They seemed to dance with joy."

Obi-wan, Yoda, and Shadow entered the turbo lift to the Council chamber. Ashoka stopped and looked to Anakin for guidance.

"No." Anakin shook his head. "We don't follow, or wait outside. They must see how much she's grown. She doesn't need me standing outside the council chamber, making them think she is too young."

Ashoka nodded.

"What do we do, then?" she asked.

"We wait." Anakin said quietly. Until they call us.'

Chapter 23

Shadow stood in the council chamber, surrounded by the counsel. She could sense Anakin wasn't nearby, and so could the rest of the council. Yet she didn't seem worried, only self-assured and prepared.

Yoda and Master Obi-wan took their places.

"Welcome back, young skywalker." Mace Windu said quietly.

Shadow bowed respectfully. "Thank you, master, it is good to be back."

There was silence for a moment, and the council absorbed that it wasn't a façade, finally. That she wasn't afraid because her brother wasn't near, nor did she fear herself or the others in the room. She was at home, it seemed.

"You may sit down, if you wish, Young Skywalker.'

"Yes, Master." Shadow said obediently.

She said cross-legged in the middle of the floor, her back straight, hands resting on her knees, still focused.

_She is as confident as a padawan already. _Obi-wan though.

"Please, tell us of your journey.' Mace windu instructed.

"Yes, masters."

And she began. "The day I was captured was a short day in consciousness, I suppose.

Anakin knew danger lurked ahead, in some dark being, and so he sent the troops and I back towards the base to face it himself. Obi-wan was to arrive at the half-way point and accompany us back. Until then, I was to command the troops. I was more just a figure head, really, but rex and the troops knew there, place, and they were kind and made the job easy.'

"I didn't sense it until it was too late. I felt something dark, and it force pushed me forward, onto the landmine. It exploded, and I went flying. I landed behind some rocks. I was bleeding and vomiting, and I cried for Anakin, but I couldn't see him through the smoke.

I heard blaster fire and realized I didn't have my light saber. Then I felt as though I was floating, and everything went black."

"I awoke a week later in a stone hut, with an older woman standing over me, she had children all around her, but she kept them busy and quiet while she tended to me.

I was badly wounded, but this woman was a skilled healer. She helped me eat and changed my bandages that day, always soothing me with her gentle voice.

But then I realized wasn't with Anakin, and Obi-wan, and I started to cry. Then I remembered obi-wan telling me not to waste water, so I stopped crying. But then I couldn't hold it all in, and I cried until I couldn't breathe anymore, and I blacked out again.

When I woke up I was too sad to speak to anyone. But they always spoke to me. Telling me I was doing well, my wounds were healing, I would be well enough to join a family soon. I didn't respond to them. I only used the force.

I would eat when I wanted to, and I was too sad, I wouldn't. I just lay there for a while, using the force. I felt everything around ,e. I knew I was at a place of great evil and sorrow, but the people were so kind. I wanted Anakin, any jedi, really, to take me back to the temple. But I was stuck in this unfamiliar world.

I felt the things around me, and I spread out the force like obi-wan had taught me, like a net, searching for any jedi, but mainly Anakin.

I found no one. I was sad again, until I heard some women talking.

A human woman with striking black hair and green eyes came by the elder one day to pick up her infant she had been watching.

I watched them stare at me, and talk.

The old healer said they thought I had been damaged in the explosion, and I would never talk again.

The woman said she saw deep sadness in my eyes. I grew angry at them for thinking I was damaged, and I staggered to my feet and spoke. "I am not damaged. I am a Jedi, torn away from my brother and masters."

I stood facing the woman for a while. She studied me. "I see deep sadness in you." She said quietly.

I wondered if she was force sensitive, but I realized it was just a mother's instinct.

I watched her for a while, and then she spoke to the healer.

"Has she a family yet?" she asked.

The old healer said no. it was then I knew no one else had wanted me. I was a stranger to them.

But then I saw a flash in the woman's eyes, and I knew she wanted me. I was strangely drawn to her, and so I left with her that afternoon, my bandaged arm the only sign of my wounds.

I had been using the force constantly by then. It was only entertainment to me then, in the days when I couldn't move much and was too saddened to speak. The force was all I had left.

I had learned how to do things with it. Focus, very, very hard, and make time seem to slow down. Move objects together. Toss a ball across the room and catch it, without it ever touching me. Focus my energy, and heal myself. I would turn to the force as a source of comfort, and of guidance. It seemed to be all the jedi wisdom sealed inside it.

But when I left with the woman that night to live with her, I had no idea what I would find.

I sensed pain in the dwelling from the moment I saw if, and it made me uneasy. But, like the woman, I was drawn to it.

So I entered and found a girl, about four years old, lying on a rough rag.

She was wounded and bloody, and she burned with fever. Instantly, I knew she had been in an accident. She had gotten caught under a troop of battle droids marching through the tunnels, and she was trampled. She was alive, though, and I swore I would not let her die.

I knelt beside the girl and focused my energy, like I had for healing, and I sent it to the girl, hoping it would heal her. The woman looked at me like I was crazy, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything anymore.

I felt the girl drawing the energy into herself, responding to it, taking the strength I offered her.

By the time dusk had rolled around, I was tired, and then the man walked in. I knew he must be the girl's father. His name was Tognat. His daughter at up and said, "daddy, daddy, look at me." He started to cry and he hugged his wife, and I realized I had made them incredibly happy.

A joy washed over me I hadn't felt in a while, but still I didn't talk to either of them much.

"Who are you?" he asked me, excitedly.

"I am a jedi." I replied.

I didn't say anything more to him, and I slept on the floor beside the girl that night.

The next day, too, I stayed by the girl and healed her. I learned her name was Dinel, and that she liked bright colors.

Dinel had six brothers and sisters, including her, and they all were wary of me. The entire village was, actually.

I heard the whispers at night, as I tried to sleep, with the help of the force.

"There is a Jedi in the village. She will not work."

"She is still recovering, and she is healing a sick girl."

"She thinks she is too good for us."

"She is a witch."

The day I Dinel got to her feet and wobbled around the room, her parents cried again. I had slowly stopped withdrawing myself from them, but still, I told them nothing of my past.

My own arm was healed, and the woman said I must go work in the tunnels. She had tears in her eyes. She said she was sorry, but only working slaves received meals, and I had been living off scraps from the family member's meals. Food was stretched too thin, she said. She started to cry.

I told her didn't mind hard work, and that I was still strong and remembered my jedi training. Dinel had to go work in the tunnels once again, too, and I promised I would look out for her.

All the girls painted the maps on one another.

The maps were designs on our faces in red dust, showing the tunnels. It was like a map, and all girls had to work the tunnels.

We worked from dawn until dusk, ferrying supplies from the factor and to the hanger. It was boring work, but I enjoyed a meal of my own. I slipped most of my food to the children, though, since I felt indebted to them for taking me in and keeping me alive.

I used the force in the tunnels, too, focusing to find my way around with ease. It was hard for most girls to remember the complex tunnels, so we map painted. But still, it wasn't enough. Some girls got lost, and starved to death.

The days blurred together, me using the force to heal myself each night and give me strength. The days blurred together, and before I knew it, I had been working in the tunnels for three months.

I had made friends, and in particular was a boy with red hair and a sneering face. He called me a witch, and I always told him I was a jedi. Always. He said I lied.

Then one day, it rained. The water hole filled up, which happens, maybe once every ten years. So people had fun swuimming and running and jumping.

Then a little boy started to drown, and I used the force to pull him out and heal him.

The red haired boy spat on my after I did, saying I was evil.

I had to explain the difference between sith and jedi to him. When I was done, he spat on me again.

But after I saved the boy, the village seemed to except me for what I was- a slave, like the rest of them. But they knew I was different, and they respected me.

The elders liked me especially, since I would use the force to move heavy things for them and help them when I could. They called me a true jedi, which made me feel good. But I knew I wanted to truly be at the temple. Yet I couldn't leave the people in suffering, even if I had wanted to. During my sixth month, I was beaten by an overseer for force pushing a droid away from stepping on a younger girl.

I hadn't realized I had pushed the droid that had until it broke when it hit the wall. But anyways, the overseer started to beat me, he threw me on the ground and kicked me and punched me until I bled, and I wanted to use the force and hurt him- I did, and I shouldn't have. But I knew he was just scared of a being that could shatter a droid with the move of her hand. And so I let him beat me until everything went black, but I remember little Dinel watching, horrified.

I woke up as tognat was carrying me home. I had been out for the rest of the work day, and the overseer through my unconscious body in the corridor for someone to claim. Tognat, of course, did.

Even when I was unconscious, I was already healing myself. I felt better by the time he had brought me in by the fire, but I still felt bad.

"What happened?" Tognat asked.

I told him the story. His fist clenched, and he grew angry. "Don't do anything, Tognat.' I said quietly. I made my own choices. If I can shatter a droid, I can kill a man, but I didn't want to ,kill him. That is not the jedi way. And if you love me, as you try to show me now by seeking revenge, you will not retaliate."

Tognat sighed, but agreed.

I felt the dark side of the force surge. "Something is wrong." I said, closing my eyes.

Tognat was disturbed, I could tell, but he trusted me intuition.

I was right. When we reached the hut, Geoneai rushed out, telling him that dinnel hadn't come home. I felt nauseas. Dinel, I knew, was lost in the tunnels.

I had Tognat put me down and started towards the tunnels.

Tognat stopped me. "You will not find her." He said quietly. "It is impossible. And you are hurt.'

I removed his restraining arms and looked at him. "Trust me. I have been right before.' I said.

And before he could say no, I staggered off into the night.

The tunnels were kept open at night, since the only escapes were locked and alarmed. I followed my instincts into the tunnel, trying to avoid the burning pain inside me I felt.

I listened to the force, calling out for Dinel. I knew she wouldn't call back, but I searched for her, for any other life form down there besides me.

I followed my instinct through the tunnels, trying to memorize every turn but eventually giving up. I was too tired to remember anything. I just knew I'd have to find Dinel.

I found her cowering in a dark corner, at a far out point in the tunnel, crying.

"Dinel?" I asked.

She ran to me and jumped into my arms, making me cry out in pain and fall. But I brushed aside her concerns and slung her over my shoulder.

"How do we get out?" dinel asked quietly.

"I know the way." I lied. I hoped the force would lead me out. At each twist and turn, I seemed to meet my ghost, pointing me in the right direction.

Dinel didn't question me, and even fell asleep after a while, in complete confidence I'd get her out.

I was growing worse, I knew. I was likely to collapse. I barely registered it as I climbed the stairs, escaping the tunnel with dinel. I only felt the searing pain where I had been beaten, no joy, satisfaction, or relief.

I was incoherent was I staggered back to the little stone hut I knew to call home. I hand Dinel to tognat before my legs turned to water, and I hit my head. I was on the floor. I smelled blood, tasted it, and then everything went black.

I awoke tree days later to find another boy in the camp had died. He had been stalked by a mad haramunax, a hyena like creature, and killed. It had already taken the life of a young woman and a little girl.

The haramunax made sure no one in our town had peace, and one day it attacked a man on his way home from work. He wasn't killed, but he was bitten, and he went mad, so the man's own family had to kill him.

I knew I had to scare the haramunax away.

I waited outside, alone. I knew it would come for me. Before I had left, Tognat had told me what to expect from it. He told me it stood on two legs like a human and hoped, then pounced on its opponent and killed it.

I nodded and left, promising him I would be careful.

People by the street watched, locked in their houses, watching me. Some said I had gone mad to try to kill it. Others said I was a fool. And still others thought I was a true jedi.

I stood and waited, sensing rather than seeing the haramunax stalking from between two buildings. I jumped to the side and the Haramunax pounced where I had been standing. It was fast. I had underestimated it.

It flew at me, and I rolled and dodged, but it clawed my side. I was disabled, I knew, but I couldn't take cover in my hut with my family. Tognat told me the haramunax only ceases hunting its prey when it or the prey is dead.

So I knew I must stay and fight.

I stood and waited. It pounced forward at me, and I dodged quicker this time, and wasn't injured.

I closed my eyes and sensed the things around me. The Haramunax thought I was vulnerable with my eyes closed. He leaped at me, but I summoned the force and threw it backwards. This time, I knew the force would kill it. But I couldn't let it live and still live myself.

The haramunax died instantly when it hit the stone wall, and I went over and studied my kill.

It had a sleek black pelt, but its paws were curled in like a child's I knew what I had done. I accepted the grim reality of it. I headed back to the hut I called home and slipped inside.

"It is finished." I told Tognat.

Geoneai rushed to treat my wounds, and soon some men in the street said there was good meat on the haramunax.

Some men were already in the street, butchering it. They were going to have a feast.

Tognat said he wouldn't eat meat from an animal that had gone mad.

The man looked to me, saying the feast was in my honor. I looked up at him from where Geoneai was bandaging my side.

"I've had enough haramunax for the rest of my life." I said in answer.

The man pouted and left, and tognat laughed, a merry gleam in his eyes.

I turned nine three months after my capture, but I had told no one that.

So when I woke up to find Geoneai had baked sweet tarts, I was surprised. Sweets were hand to come by, in a slave camp.

I ate half my tart, but slipped the rest to the other children, who quickly finished it.

Geoneai sat down and studied me.

"Today is your anniversary." She said quietly.

I looked up at her, surprised. "They brought you here one year ago.' She said.

I nodded. "Thank you." I said, and smiled. I headed off to work with little Dinel, who chattered the entire way about fruit tarts.

When I got there, I found a droid marching to the hanger going haywire.

It was firing its blaster everywhere and the overseers where too cowardly to try and turn it off.

I jumped behind it and ripped out the main censor chip. The droid fell to the ground, lifeless.

One of the overseers march towards me, furious.

"What did you do to it!?" he demanded angrily.

I head the piece I had removed in my hand, a bit scared. "I… I just took out the main censor chip. I can fix it, I swear. I'll just re-route it in through the vocabulator and make sure it doesn't sap the power cells. I just need a servo driver."

I heard applause behind me, and turned, startled, to see a factory supervisor, who was even higher than the overseers, behind me.

"Well done.' He said, smiling wickedly down at me.

"You've obviously got knowledge about droids."

I was silent, since I didn't know what he'd do to me. He led me away down the hall, to the droid assembly lines.

"I heard you say something about power cells, correct?" he asked.

I nodded shakily.

He tossed me a servo driver and slid a box of power cells over to me.

"Put the power cells into these droids." He told me.

I nodded, too scared to refuse.

The work was hard, installing every power cell into each droid that came by in a minute.

And I was torn. These droids would be used to kill jedi and innocents. I couldn't break Jedi code, but I couldn't mess up, either. I'm get in trouble and probably beaten again.

Ion the end, I installed the power cell correctly and ripped out the secondary wire in the cooling system, so that the droids would start to overheat and power down in the middle of the battle. It was a hard little problem to find, and the inspectors were other droids, so of course, they didn't notice.

Besides, if you worked the droid assembly line, you were given more food, because the work was more demanding. And the kids could use more food. Anything to keep Dinel and her family from starving.

I was happy working on the assembly line, though. After a while, I would fall into a rhythm. Disconnect the secondary cooling unit wire, install power cell, next droid. I would use the force to feel objects around me, practice my force healing, and learn. My favorite activity to do was to try to hear a single voice over the clank of metal and whoosh of steam, and pin point the exact location of it. Then I would move on.

Of course, the assembly lines were dangerous.

Once I lost my balance and fell onto the conveyer belt. I force jumped back to my post just before a metal droid chest plate was slammed onto my chest, and it would have severed my legs.

Besides, the extra food helped the family, and I almost felt like a jedi again, keeping my secret about the faulty droids.

Soon, however, they began to notice. I heard the supervisors talking one day about a battalion of faulty droids. "Yes, secondary wiring into the cooling unity all faulty. Hard to tell if it was an accident or the cooling unit's fault so many droids were faulty, it's probably the manufacturer." They said.

That was when I knew I'd have to change my tactics.

Instead of just ripping the secondary wire out of the droids, I made sure to the power cells were rigged so that the charge would drain away almost automatically.

They questioned me, but figured the power cells were faulty, too. As long as I could keep figuring out how to break droids, I would be fine, I realized.

The year passed without incident, until my last month on the planet before Anakin came.

I learned small lessons, such as patience and such, and I was beginning to come to terms with my situation. Then there was a malfunction and the machine that was slapping chest plates of armor on droids exploded, and I blacked out.

I woke up with Tognat nest to me,. He was moaning something unintelligible. His arm had been blown off. I was struggling to breath, but I called the force, drawing it into me. As soon as I was strong enough to, I rolled over and started healing Tognat. But it didn't work. His arm stub didn't heal,. It wouldn't close. I healed myself as best I could, the n tried to help the others. But mostly, it didn't work.

A month later, our village was still recovering from the accident. As far as I knew, I was well. Tognat wasn't.

I felt strange. Like pull, drawing me away. I know now it was Anakin, Obi-wan, and Ashoka, pulling me away from the life I had finally settled into. I panicked, and ran to the edge of the water hole. I was terrified and unsure at the same time. Just then, I had to run to the droid assembly line. I staggered inside, and then my eyes adjusted to the half-power lights of the assembly line.

I whimpered around twelve. I sensed something odd around us. Something was happening. Something was wrong.

Just then, the overseers rounded us up and had us trek through the dessert, on the long walk to the second factory, I would later find out.

I was tired we didn't stop, walking through the dead of night. I sensed my light saber near me and fell on top of it, struggling to hide it in my shirt as an overseer whipped me. I used the force to clang the wreckage of two droids together, and while the overseers investigated, I ran away.

I waited until I was far off and ignited my light saber- the blue glow changed me from a slave girl into an active Jedi once again. I thought. I figured I could head back to factory three, where I had come from, but I would do better finding factory two and destroying it. I sensed Anakin some ways off, but knew I could help him more in the field.

I began to follow after the procession of slaves.

I used the force to break into the overseer's mind, find where he was going. Instinct took over, and I ran to the factory, which was much smaller and covert- no slaves, in fact, and I attacked the guard droids.

I found a bag of thermal detonators on one droids, and smoke grenades in the other. I tossed a smoke grenade into the one entrance, to add urgency to the situation, and then threw two thermal detonators into the remaining exits, collapsing them, and picking off droids at the bottle neck. I had destroyed around eighty droids when the overseers arrive.

I dispatched another six and blew up the room, using the force to protect myself. I hid behind a rock and listened to them, veiling myself with the force. They didn't know I was present.

Many had already died on the trip here, and I feared when they took the slaves back to factory three, they would die of thirst. Just then, they yelled something about a well.

I couldn't believe I hadn't sensed it, but I was too tired to do anything else I fell asleep.

The next day I awoke sick. I burned, and painted the map system on my cheeks in red dust for comfort. I needed water, but I sensed Anakin would come today. I wasn't going to leave and risk being left behind.

I was in pain and hot, but I lay down, waiting for him. Then the red rocks around me turned into horrible things, and I was shivering cold. I blacked out, again.

I woke up to find Anakin nearby. I stood, and he whispered my name. I was shaking, but desperation propelled me forward, into his arms. I clung to him as my legs gave out. It had been too long. He carried me to a shaded overhang and talked to me.

He asked when the last time I drank was, and I answered yesterday. He coaxed me to drink water, and I did, but I gagged.

He tied a wet bandage on my head, which didn't make sense to me, since I hadn't cut my head. But I went along with it. He picked me up. I said hello to his padawans. Anakin introduced us. Then, slowly, everything turned to a blur, until, again, I was trapped in blackness.

I woke up in the med wing. I don't remember much. I made friends with Ashoka, fought with Anakin, and then stayed up most of the night talking to her.

We slept in late the next morning. Anakin didn't want to, but he let me on the mission. He needed a guide through the tunnels for the troops.

When I left, he looked so sad. I hugged him good bye, and promise I'd look both ways before I crossed the street or something.

I lead the troops to the access point. Ashoka and the troops went on ahead, and Obi-wan and I had to kill another harmunax. We caught up to the troopers, and obi-wan handed me two thermal detonators, once we were inside. Just in case, he said. I asked him to try not to collapse the tunnel.

Then I ran off with ashoka, blowing through the stairwell. I left ashoka and went to the slaves, like Anakin had told me to. They knew me, and I calmed them. I was a lot more believable when I had a light saber, I guess. Droids with stun batons rushed out, and time slowed down. I destroyed them and called in the cargo ship, then used my cable launcher to help evacuate them up.

I told tognat I had to help with the battle. Then the clone commander said Anakin wanted me to stay on the ship. I was so angry. He had lied about trusting me. The commander took my cable launcher, which he thought was my only way down. I snapped and said something cocky to him, then jumped out of the ship. I realized I had no clue how to land from this high up.

I forced myself to focus and asked obi-wan for help, mentally of course. He said something about patience, and I lost it. Instinct took over, then. I rolled to absorb the shock, and ran back into the factory. I sensed ashoka was in trouble.

She was trying to get up to the gunners to take them out, but she had found a battalion of droids. I helped her fight them off, and we heard the engine of a ship starting on top of the factory. The supervisors were escaping. Ashoka and I rushed up. Ashoka tried to cut a hole in the ship as it took off, but I planted a thermal detonator obi-wan gave me, grabbed her, and jumped off.

Then I remembered I couldn't land again. I rolled, ashoka landing and using the force to dodge the wreckage of the ship that rained down on us.

I sensed Anakin was going nuts. I ran into the factory with ashoka, hoping to find some sort of weapon in the weapon's room. All we found was a battalion of droids. One droid stepped on my comlink, and we were trapped. The air strike came in, and the factory started to crumble. I shoved ashoka into a small nook in the wall where an ugly statue sat. We force-pushed it out of the way.

Everything came down around us, and we knew we'd suffocate. Ashoka started to cut through things and I force pushed aside rocks as we fought into the tunnel, gasping for breath. I saw it was going to collapse at any moment, since the support beams were basically neutralized.

I told ashoka the only way out was to blow a hole in it. I fingered the last detonator obi-wan gave me.

Ashoka wasn't sure, but she finally agreed. I told her to get out of range of the detonator while I set it, so if I didn't run fast enough, one of us would live. Ashoka said she would set the detonator. I slammed it onto the wall and pressed the button. We both ran.

We were blown off our feet, but we got up. We could sense the tunnel giving way, and we each force- jumped out at the same time. Everything collapsed into dust. I remember Anakin hugging us both, coughing up blood, feeling like I was drowning. Then I woke up on the jedi cruiser."

Shadow waited to be questioned.

It had been hours as she sat there on the temple floor, retelling the story, she realized. Her voice was hoarse.

"Leaned, what have you, young skywalker?" Shadow took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"Patience.' She said. 'The importance of not underestimation an opponent, restraint, grieving, sacrificing for the greater good, acceptance, not overestimating yourself, detachment, respect, and responsibility." She said quietly.

"Examples." Mace Windu said suddenly.

"Waiting for the right time to become a Jedi again, struggling not to underestimate a haramunax, restraining myself from killing my captors numerous times, acceptance that I cannot change the past, grieving for the things I never got to say to those most important to me, sacrificing my own safety for those who need me, overestimating my ability land by jumping out of and off of a ship, detaching myself from what I had lost so I could accept it, respecting those in command even though I hated it, and realizing my actions do not only affect me, but many people when I am in danger and rush to an irrational conclusion."

Shadow waited for further questioning. Obi-wan blinked in surprise. He hand't know shadow had realized it wasn't just another adventure in the chronicle of her life- she had actually been able to find true Jedi values and enforce them even during her imprisonment.

"Like a Jedi, you have spoken young skywalker. Beyond you years, wise, you are."

"Thank you, master." Shadow said quietly.

Behind the good posture and confident girl, he saw someone who was exhausted and just wanted to leave. But he knew no one else could see it.

"Have you been negatively affected by your journey at any time?" Mace Windu asked.

"Yes, master. I could not except I couldn't change my fate for a while, so I stayed silent. I disobeyed a direct order and jumped to conclusions, almost literally," Shadow saw the corners of obi-wan's mouth twitch, and suppressed her own grin.

"I allowed my judgment to become clouded since I wanted Anakin to rescue me, I doubted the Jedi order because of the change in my fate, and I am somewhat hyper vigilant." She said.

Obi-wan couldn't believe the wisdom he was hearing from a ten year old girl. He stopped himself for a moment. Though he was fascinated, he had to think of Shadow's wellbeing, too, and she was growing dead tired. Obi-wan made eye contact with Master Yoda, and looked concernedly at down at Shadow.

Yoda got the message.

"Dismissed, you are, young skywalker." Yoda said.

"Thank you, masters." Shadow bowed respectfully and left the room.

As soon as she was gone, the council began to murmur among themselves.

Anakin was worried. He paced the room, exhausted but too worried to sleep. Ashoka had long since fallen asleep on the couch, waiting for news. He wasn't upset with her. She , too, was sick after all.

But shadow was sick, too, and the council knew it. Why had they kept here there so long? It had been three hours, and they had arrived at nine.

Just then, Shadow walked in. She looked exhausted, like she might collapse.

"How'd it go, Shadow?" he asked nervously. Shadow leaned against him.

"Shadow? How'd it go?" He felt Shadow summon the force and push him into a sitting position on the ground. She crawled onto his lap and curled against his chest.

"I understand." Anakin said quietly, rubbing her back. A moment later, she was asleep in his arms.

Anakin hated to admit it, but Shadow was really sick. She was dripping sweat, at 109* degrees and she shuddered every now and then.

_Where was Obi-wan? _Anakin thought, exasperated.

Obi-wan always knew how to treat an illness. It had been that way since he had been his padawan, obi-wan always knowing how to bring down his climbing temperature when he was ill, how to settle an upset stomach, how to stop the throbbing of a concussion, neutralize the constant burning of a broken bone. Anakin was just about to contact him on the com link when he entered the quarters.

"Anakin?" he called quietly.

"Obi-wan." Anakin felt relieved. He strode over shadow in his arms. Obi-wan saw something close to fear in his eyes.

Anakin swallowed. "Master… she came back… she wouldn't talk to me… she's worse.' Anakin said quietly.

Obi-wan looked down at her and sighed. "We should have let her out sooner.' He sighed.

"I don't blame you, master. It's just; you always know what to do. You always healed me when I was sick as a padawan. I don't know what to do."

There was desperation in Anakin's voice, Obi-wan realized.

"Wake her up for me." Obi-wan ordered quietly. He got a wet cloth, a glass of water, and ice.

He came back just as shadow was rousing. She didn't look any better.

"Drink this for me, okay shadow?" Obi-wan instructed.

She sipped at the water, seeming to relax slightly.

Obi-wan wiped her forehead with the wet cloth, then handed her and ice cube to suck on.

Shadow smiled at him, a bit giddy from exhaustion. "Jumping to a conclusion." She muttered. She giggled, then buried her head in Anakin's chest again.

Anakin nervously felt her forehead. He relaxed.

"Thank you, master." He said, clearly relieved.

Obi-wan still looked troubled.

"The council wants to see her at seven tomorrow." He said quietly to Anakin.

"What?" Anakin looked shocked.

"Master, look at her. She's burning up. I've never seen her this sick before." Obi-wan nodded.

"I'll tell the counsel she's ill, but they'll make you admit her to the med wing." He warned.

"Master, they don't have as good a healer as you!" Anakin protested.

"Anakin, stop.' Obi-wan aid quietly. "I'm not a healer, and you know it. I took care of you when you had minor illnesses. That's all. She is serious."

Anakin shook his head. "You brought me through the yellow fever." Anakin said quietly.

"I didn't know the vaccine didn't work on you, Anakin! I barely managed to! Don't treat me like a medic, Anakin, I'm not. I was desperate when you were hurt badly, and I did the best I could."

"But you did it." Anakin reminded him.

"I hate uncertainties, Anakin, and the possibility of failure. I'm, not good a being a calm medic.'

"You were always calm when I was sick.' Anakin told him.

"That was for you, so you wouldn't give up once you saw how hopeless I was." Obi-wan informed him.

"Well, like it or not, Obi-wan, I'm still here, after, what, six near death experiences? So I say you're a miracle worker."

"Anakin." Obi-wan rested his head in his hands, annoyed.

"Common, doc, help m fix her up." Anakin teased.

Shadow giggled, and obi-wan remembered something.

"Anakin, I'm going on the roof." He announced. "Don't look for me; I'm going to jump to a conclusion.'

The horrified look on Anakin's face was all he needed to get his friend back.

Chapter 25

Shadow's fever had broken by six thirty the next morning. Anakin was cautious, thought. He knew she could spike a fever at any time.

"Honest, Anakin, I'm fine.' She assured him. She went to shower and dress in a clean tunic. She had slept in the one from yesterday, too tired to change.

"Sure she's alright?" Anakin asked Obi-wan

Obi-wan nodded.

"Looks like she really beat it this time.' He said quietly.

"Miracle worker." Anakin mumbled to Obi-wan, and Obi-wan shot him a look that made him fall silent.

At five minutes to seven, Shadow emerged from her room, her long brown hair styled into a simple ponytail that would no doubt run the length of her back if she didn't hide it in her shirt collar.

"Ponytail out.' Anakin said.

Shadow rolled her eyes and removed her ponytail from hiding under her tunic.

"Ready?" he asked?"

"Yes.' Shadow nodded.

Anakin saw she was. The frail girl who had remained silent and curled into his arms was gone. Her fever had vanished, bringing back regular, tough Shadow.

"You can do it." He assured her. She flashed him a grin and hugged him quickly before she left for the council chamber with Obi-wan.

_Good luck. _Anakin thought silently.

Shadow felt the nervousness Obi-wan felt like a poke in the ear.

She turned to notice him.

"Why re you so nervous?" she asked, tearing obi-wan from his own thoughts.

Obi-wan looked into her electric blue eyes, the same as Anakin's. They were so intuitive, he knew he couldn't lie.

"I can't tell you. I'm sorry. It's forbidden.' He said quietly. The turbo lift doors opened to the room before the council chamber.

Shadow prepared to enter beside him, but he turned to her.

"I'm sorry, but you can't enter yet. They'll call you in when they're ready.' Obi-wan informed her. He stepped into the council chamber, alone.

Shadow felt hurt and a bit cheated,. Why was obi-wan keeping things from her? He had known her since she was a little girl. She was like a father to him and Anakin. Yet now he wasn't telling her things. She had always been open with him, except for when she had needed leverage to win an argument.

As the more time passed, Shadow became more and more disturbed.

Finally, she was on the verge of running back to the room and talking to Anakin when the door opened.

"Enter, you may, young skywalker." Yoda said.

Shadow was torn. Should she run back down to Anakin now, abandoning the council? She knew the consequences would be severe, but she wasn't sure she could face them now.

Obi-wan, as well as the rest of the council, noticed her hesitation.

But she slowly entered. She was nervous. Her nerves were visible to everyone. Obi-wan stared at her in disbelief. What had happened to the confident girl minutes before?

Shadow gave him a fear filled look, as if asking with her eyes, _Why, Obi-wan? Why did you keep things from me? I have trusted you._

Obi-wan suppressed a groan. He had scared Shadow into hesitation and made her withdraw with his secrecy. The council would note it, and surely remember it in the future.

Obi-wan had done this to her.

He sensed the force fill the room as she entered, but still, her presence was minimal.

Mace windu and Yoda were clearly shocked by her sudden lack of confidence.

"Alright, are you, young Skywalker?" Yoda asked.

Shadow looked around quietly. "Masters, we are being watched." She said quietly.

Mac Windu nodded patiently. "The temple records all council meetings, Shadow.' He said quietly.

Shadow shook her head. "It isn't temple security, Masters. I noted that years ago." Mace Windu cleared his throat.

'Are you ready to begin, youngling?" he asked, clearly a little annoyed.

Shadow hesitated. Ob-wan felt his hopes fall.

Outside the great windows of the Jedi counsel, on a scaffolding two stories above them, was what looked to be an ordinary maintenance man. He wasn't however.

The man made sure his jetpack was prepared, then jumped.

He fell from the scaffolding, but the Jedi masters were too busy focused on Shadow to notice. Shadow paled. Obi-wan prayed Shadow would stop freezing up and say something.

"Master…" Shadow started.

"Shadow Skywalker, if you do not focus, you will be dismissed." Mace Windu warned her.

Shadow jumped back as the figure outside shattered the window with his boot, hovering with his jet pack, a 969 blaster rifle in his hands.

Her light saber was ignited a moment before the window shattered, and the counsel wondered for a brief moment whether or not she was sane.

The figure cut out his jet pack and landed, aiming his rifle at shadow. "You have been betrayed by the ones you love most, jedi." He said. He fired.

Chapter 26

Shadow was instantly deflecting the fire, and momentarily, the Jedi masters were stunned. They had been so focused on shadow they hadn't sensed the evil presence. Yet the ten year old girl had.

The deflecting of the fire was difficult, since Shadow had to move her light saber at extreme angles in order not to deflect the stray fire into the jedi masters.

One instant later, and all the council members stood, light sabers ignited.

The man removed a remote control from his pocket, dangling it playfully in front of him.

He knew he was not match for the Jedi, so he had a weapon.

"One false move and the nursery in blown sky high, with all your younglings." Sneered the man.

The man's hand suddenly froze. It was jerked open, and the control flew to shadow's hand. Still using her one hand to guild the force, she lifted the man like a puppet and slammed him into the wall.

The man's eyes were wide as he realized his leverage had been ripped away.

Before anyone could stop him, he pointed the 969 rifle at his chest and fired.

He still sneered up at Shadow.

"Betrayed…" he sneered slowly. "By the ones who love you most.' The man went limp, dead.

Pure terror filled shadow's eyes then.

She opened he palm and mace windu used the force to take the control from her.

She turned to face obi-wan, her face a mixture of heart break and fear.

"You…" she said quietly.

"Shadow, I…" but before he could finish the sentence, she turned and ran out of the room.

Chapter 27

The temple was on red alert, but somehow, she managed to disappear.

Anakin rushed up to obi-wan, his face a picture of fear. 'I heard there was an incident in the council chamber.' He said quickly. "Where is she?"

Obi-wan explained the situation to Anakin. His apprentice paled.

So, they didn't listen to her, and you had to do something alone in the council room, and…"

"She thinks we're trying to kill her." Obi-wan finished.

Anakin sighed. "Just when I thought she was going to have a normal life."

There was an old turbo lift down to the maintenance level that was never used. Shadows had found a way to infiltrate it through the air duct.

It had been years since she had her best friend, Jacob, a fellow youngling, had explored the temple, but she knew every hide out they'd discovered well.

Most Younglings went to read of faraway places or dock in the hanger when they were bored, but Shadow and Jacob were more interested about what was _inside The temple, rather than what was out of it._

Shadow climbed down the shaft until she stood on the turbo lift that sat at the bottom the temple, the maintenance level, and led only down to it or up from any other level.

This lift was rarely ever used unless someone went to inspect the boilers or do maintenance on the systems located on the maintenance level.

_I was betrayed by those I most trusted_. Shadow though, hugging her knees as she sat on top of the turbo lift. _By those I most loved._

Meanwhile, in a small briefing room, a large group of Jedi had gathered. All council members, Anakin, and Ashoka stood studying the map on a holo-table.

"Do those who know her best have any idea where she could be?" Mace asked quietly.

They were open to suggestions. That meant they had searched most of the temple. this was bad.

"She knows every in an out of the temple, Master Windu." Anakin said quietly.

"She and a fellow youngling, Jacob Yangris, explored it often. I even think they ventured into some air ducts and other systems."

Mace looked dismayed at the news.

Suddenly, he brightened. "This fellow youngling," he said. "Where is he? He could lead us to her."

Anakin looked lost. "I don't know. He's probably been sent to his quarters like the rest of them, since this is red alert. Could you look up his location?"

Mace was already typing furiously into a data terminal. "Room 342, boy's dormitories." He said confidently.

He motioned to Anakin. "Let's go.'

Chapter 28

There was a slight metal clang in an air duct far above her. Shadow tensed and activated her light saber.

She heard the thing- whatever it was- climbing down the shaft slowly. Finally, it dropped five feet and was right in front of her. Jacob.

Shadow sighed with relief and dropped her light saber.

"Oh, good, it's you." Shadow said, sinking down into a sitting position against the wall.

"I thought I'd find you here." Jacob said quietly. "I heard you had disappeared, so I came looking. You have no idea how many Jedi rules I had to break to get here."

"They're trying to kill me." Shadow said quietly.

"Who?" Jacob asked.

"All of them. " Shadow said. And then she spilled out the entire story, ending in tears.

"I trusted them, Jake! I trusted them with my life!" she cried.

Jake sat beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder. She calmed slightly.

"I will protect you." He said quietly.

"Thank the stars I have someone on my side.' She said. "Thank you."

Jacob shook his head, as if to clear it. "But something is not right here. I can feel it. Why would they betray you?"

Shadow looked even more shaken. "I have no idea, but Obi-wan went into the council chamber for a while alone today, the council ignored my warning we were being watched, and a bounty hunter tried to kill me. Those who are dangerous don't have a reason, sometimes."

Jacob nodded. "We should get out of the temple."

Shadow looked horrified. The temple was her, and his, home.

"Their trying to kill you." He said quietly. "We can making a living fixing droids or something. Let's just leave with our lives."

"They're on red alert. It won't be that easy."

"I'll scope out a way and meet you here… or somewhere." He said quietly.

Shadow nodded. "Thank you, so much." Jacob nodded.

"Turn off your comlink, or they'll track you." He said quietly. Shadow nodded. Jacob hadn't been in battle, so he hadn't received a comlink yet.

Jacob summoned the force and jumped farther up, and, with a small clang, Shadow knew he had disappeared into the air ducts. She waited, alone again.

"Let's start by searching the maintenance floor." Anakin suggested. "There are plenty of places there to hide."

Mace nodded.

"I'll send obi-wan there." He said.

He contacted Obi-wan on his comlink.

"I'm on my way.' Obi-wan said.

Anakin tried to quell his disappointment. Jacob had, it seemed, disappeared out of thin air, just like Shadow had. But he knew Jacob. He was, no doubt, with Shadow.

There were two ways into the maintenance floor- a hatch, which was now locked, or the turbo lift.

Obi-wan called up the turbo lift. The doors opened, allowing him inside.

Shadow started when she felt the turbo lift moving up at a dizzying speed. When it finally stopped, she barely kept her footing. Her mind was racing. Had they found her here? Were they going to cut a hole in the roof? Or were they going to search the maintenance level. Someone entered.

Shadow took a deep breath. _Stay calm." _She commanded herself.

Just then, the turbo lift fell out from under her.

She screamed. The turbo lift not only used its own engines when it descended, but also allowed gravity to push it downward, therefore it shot down below her, and she fell after it.

She couldn't help it. She screamed.

She summoned the force and tried to slow her landing, hitting the turbo lift with her feet, and feeling the momentum knock her to the ground.

She gasped for breath, laying on the turbo lift.

Whoever was in the turbo lift knew she was there now. "Shadow? Shadow! Are you alright?" Obi-wan was inside, she realized.

"I'm coming to get you!" Obi-wan said, trying to sound calming. His light saber pierced the roof of the turbo lift far away from her, since he must know where she was. He was going to kill her.

Shadow shakily stood, igniting her own light saber, waiting.

Obi-wan had finished cutting his hole in a matter of seconds, and he force jumped out, concern painted on his face. He broke into a relaxed smile.

"Thank the stars, you're alright. Come here." He opened his arms to her, as if wanting to take her in.

Shadow stared coldly at him, but under her firm resolve, he saw the young girl who wanted nothing more than to run into his embrace, cling to him, and have him protect her.

"I almost believe you.' She said, even colder than the look on her face. Obi-wans face fell.

"Shadow, I…"

Shadow force jumped three levels away from him and started to climb the shaft.

Obi-wan followed.

It's not what you think, Shadow!" he said, climbing, trying to catch up with her. She was a bit above him, and faster, too. He was vaguely reminded of his episode with Anakin, when they tried to rescue the chancellor. He groaned inwardly.

He had caught up to her now. "Shadow!" he leaned over and grabbed her arm.

Obi-wan saw the flash of pure terror in her eyes at his touch. She whirled and kicked his back, and his grip loosened with the pain.

Just then, he heard the turbo lift coming up the shaft, and whooshing in his ears. It was coming up to a level five below theirs, he realized. Shadow was out of his grasp, suddenly, falling, falling to meet the turbo lift. She fell through the hole he cut, and obi-wan didn't see if she had hurt herself landing.

"Don't!" Obi-wan cried. But whoever was outside had already called in the turbo lift.

The doors slid open, and Anakin found himself face to face with Shadow for a moment, such a brief moment. He saw how her chest had heaved, breathing heavily. He saw the flash of terror in her eyes.

And then she was gone, like shimmer silk, brushing past him and Mace Windu, charging down a corridor.

Mace windu blinked, clearly surprised.

He started after her. "Don't." Anakin placed a hand on Mace's arm. "You'll just scare her more."

Obi-wan fell through the hole in the roof of the turbo lift, breathing heavily.

He looked to Anakin and Mace. "Gone." Mace said. Obi-wan nodded.

"She was in the elevator shaft. She must have remained silent as I called it up and got in, but I heard her screaming when it fell from under her. I heard her hit the top, finally, and I cut through. I thanked the stars she was alright, and told her to come to me. She was so… so cold to me. She said she almost believed it. Then she jumped away and started climbing. I climbed after her and grabbed her, but she was terrified. She hit me and fell into the elevator. I don't know if she was hurt. But she's gone now, anyways." Obi-wan explained as they walked.

"How did she looked?" Anakin asked him. "Terrified." Obi-wan said.

"It's going to take a through explanation to calm her, Anakin. And we can't give her that if she's constantly running away from us."

Anakin nodded. "We'll have to catch her, first." He said.

"Any luck with Jacob?" obi-wan asked.

"No." Mace said. "He's breeched security and gone to find her."

Obi-wan sighed. "Great. Now we've got two of them to worry about."

Anakin stopped suddenly. "What is it, Anakin?" Obi-wan asked.

"I just realized how we can trap her." Anakin said, smiling.

Chapter 29

"Are you sure it will work?" mace asked Anakin. "What if she already found Jacob?"

"Then they'll be curious. They might spring the trap just because they want to know something."

Mace shook his head. "Okay." He said quietly. "Let's begin."

Anakin had somehow tapped into her com link's basic functions and had it turn itself on again.

"Shadow, we have Jacob." He said.

Shadow, who was crawling through another air duct to another one of her and Jacob's hiding places, froze.

"We'll release him to you again, but first you have to listen to what we have to say." He said. "It will be me, Yoda, Mace Windu, and Obi-wan there to meet you. We will not harm you. Meet in the counsel room."

The transmission cut out. Shadow kept crawling. She slipped into the widened crossway, really almost the side of a room, of three ducts.

Jacob stood, looking alarmed.

Shadow ran to him, and he hugged her.

"I thought they had you." She said shakily.

Jacob released his embrace.

"I escaped Obi-wan. Our turbo lift hide away is blown." She said quietly.

"At least you escaped. But why did you think they had me?" he asked.

"Anakin must have turned on my comlink. I ripped out the tracking chip, though. He told me they had you.'

Jacob shook his head. "Thank the stars you didn't go.' He said quietly.

Shadow nodded shakily. "But now that we know it's a trap, what do we do?" she asked.

Jacob smiled. "Spring it, of course.' He said.

Shadow crawled out of the air duct by the council chamber, and accessed the door. She stepped inside.

The lights were on, the window still broken.

Shadow thought hungrily of escaping through them.

But Obi-wan, yoda, Mace Windu, and Anakin stood in her way.

"Good, it is, you have come.' Yoda said quietly.

Shadow ignited her light saber. "Talk." She said. "Then give him back to me."

She knew she couldn't give away the fact she had Jacob hiding in the council air duct, so she played dumb.

Anakin stepped forward to begin, but shadow retreated.

Anakin frowned. "No sudden movements." Shadow warned them all. Anakin stepped back, and shadow regained her previous position.

"The bounty hunter lied to you.' Anakin said quietly.

"Give me one good reason to believe that.' Shadow said coldly.

Obi-wan spoke. "When I went in earlier, and said I couldn't tell you why, I was claiming you to become my future padawan.' Obi-wan said.

Shadow's composure didn't slip.

"That could easily be a lie." She said.

"But it isn't." Mace said. "Jedi code states future master must not reveal it to anyone but the council. We're making an… exception… for you."

"That bounty hunter wanted to make you doubt, shadow." Anakin said. "He was sent to scare you."

"By who?" Shadow asked.

"we don't' know.' Anakin admitted. "But we'll protect you. Just come with us.'

Shadow's expression of cold indifference slipped for a moment.

She was considering it.

"Then what? I get to go back to normal life?" she asked.

Anakin nodded. "Everything will be like normal, only you have to trust us."

Shadow was silent for another moment.

Then she stepped forward.

"Alright.' She said finally.

Anakin took a pair of stun cuffs from his belt.

Shadow retreated again.

"It's just temporary." Anakin explained. "Until we're sure you won't kill us or something. They're just stun cuffs. I promise, we won't hurt you."

Shadow hesitated, but stepped forward, light saber still humming.

"One hand first." She said.

She proffered one wrist. Anakin cuffed it.

Shadow switched her light saber to the other hand and pointed it at the ground Anakin cuffed her other wrist.

"See," he said, withdrawing his hand. "Not hurting." Shadow nodded and extinguished her light saber. Suddenly, the stun cuffs started shocking her.

She fell to the floor, writhing as the electricity pulsed through her.

"Jacob!" she screamed.

At her cry, Jacob flew from the Council-room air duct and ignited his light saber in a motion too fast to see, severing the stun cuffs.

Jacob slung Shadow over his shoulder, and force jumped to the door to the council chamber.

The door closed behind him and he raced into the turbo lift. Force pushed the doors to the turbo lift opened and jumped, summoning the force to soften his landing on the turbo lift far below. He landed and used the force to shut the doors to the turbo lift above.

Then, he tore the grate off a near-by air duct and jumped in, just as the turbo lift under him went up.

The council chamber was on the top level of the temple, at the top of the spire.

They would have been crushed up against the ceiling if they had remained on the turbo lift.

Jacob replaced the grate on the air duck and turned to a gasping Shadow.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly.

Shadow shakily nodded. "I shouldn't have trusted them." She said quietly.

"I believed them too. But I didn't want to leave if you were in danger.' He said quietly.

Shadow leaned against the duct, catching her breath. "So, we stay in the ducts now, I guess.' She said.

Jacob nodded. "Until we can figure out how to escape the temple, yes."

Anakin stared at the open air duct by the turbo lift.

Mac Windu had called the turbo lift.

Anakin whirled.

"They'll be crushed if they're on top of it!"

The doors to the turbo lift opened.

Mace entered and went down a level, and Obi-wan used the force to hold the turbo lift doors open.

"No remains.' He said quietly.

Some slight color returned to Anakin's cheeks.

"Why did the stun cuffs malfunction like that?" Anakin asked.

Mace windu entered their level again and appeared deep in thought.

Anakin closed his eyes and focused. Suddenly, he knew. "The frequency they were controlled on was hacked. By a bounty hunter. It all makes sense. They want her scared. They want her running. So that they can kill her or pick her off. She's more vulnerable that way.'

Yoda, Mac windu, and Obi-wan looked at him in surprise.

"You sensed all this?" Mace Windu asked.

Anakin nodded slightly. "Also used intuition. But the point is… if he wants her vulnerable, he or she's probably breaking into the temple." Anakin said.

At precisely that moment, a figure covered in body armor emerged from a busy space lane. He left his speeder hovering beside the Jedi temple. He turned on his jetpack and flew upwards. He flew upwards towards the hanger of the jedi temple.

He hit a button on his wrist, and a stray astromech droid hurriedly hooked into the wall port. The droids rotated the port a few times, and the shield was disabled.

The man laughed and stepped inside, brandishing his blaster. Due to the red alert, the hanger was empty.

Mace windu saw the alert on his comlink.

"The shield to the hanger was momentarily disabled." He said concernedly. He exchanged a glance with Obi-wan.

In the hanger, the man placed a metal device on the shield generator. The shield cut out completely.

The man pressed another button on his wrist, and a dozen super battle droids flew inside. Four Assassin droids entered behind them. And finally, a spider droid entered.

"I'm detecting a life form." Mace said nervously.

"Something's entered the duct work." Anakin said, looking disturbed. "I sense it. It's going for them."

Anakin activated his comlink.

"Shadow, you have to believe me. The stun cuffs were sabotaged. There's a bounty hunter breaking into the temple! He wants you alone and scared, that way you'll be easier to pick off. You need to trust me!"

Shadow started and looked around. They had been crawling the ducts for as long as Shadow could bare. They were a few minutes from the hanger.

Shadow stared at her comlink in surprise.

Just then, they heard the metallic clanking of the droids nearing them. Shadow accidently hit her comlink on the duct as she rushed to ignite her light saber, and rushed forward.

"Shadow!" Jacob screamed. Blaster fire was everywhere. "We're trapped! Run, Jake!" They heard the hum of light sabers, and then, momentary silence, except for heavy breathing.

"He was right." Jake said grimly.

In the holo-room, the four Jedi exchanged horrified looks.

"Come on. Let's get to the hanger. We can take cover in a ship or something." They heard running feet.

Obi-wan watched all the color drain from Anakin's face.

"We have to go help them.' Anakin said breathlessly.

Mace got onto his com again, calling jedi to the hanger.

Anakin shook his head.

"They won't get there in time." He said.

"We're seventeen levels away, Anakin." Mace said. "What you go have in mind?"

Wordlessly, Anakin force pushed the doors to the turbo lift shaft open and force jumped inside.

Anakin felt the force hum around him and he hung in the air when he sensed the correct level.

He forced pushed the doors open and entered.

He had to make it to the eastern side of the temple, to the hanger, before Shadow and Jake arrived.

He tried to send them a warning.

_Don't go to the hanger. Don't._

Shadow received this warning just as she jumped down from the air duct into the hanger. Obi-wan had raced beside obi-wan now, and mace was already struggling to catch up.

Anakin already sensed other fellow Jedi hurrying to the hanger. They had to get there.

They were surrounded by droids, blasters, and danger.

Shadow and Jake stood back to back, light sabers ready.

"I see you have a boyfriend." The man in armor laughed.

Shadow and Jake circled, still back to back. The man in armor signaled, and the droids fired.

Anakin felt his heart in his throat when he heard the gunfire. He sensed his fellow jedi were worried as well.

They reached the door to the hanger. It was locked.

Anakin tried to cut through it with his light saber. It didn't work.

"It must by ray-shielded on the other side.' Obi-wan speculated.

Three other jedi appeared behind them.

Anakin got on his comlink. "R2!" He commanded. R2 answered. "Get the ray shield by the door down, and open the doors to the hanger. Now!"

R2 beeped in confirmation.

The transmission ended.

"Can we cut through the walls?" Anakin asked.

Mace shook his head. "Too thick."

"Come on, R2." Anakin muttered.

There was still gunfire from inside the hanger.

The heat from blaster fire was scorching. It was a struggle to deflect the fire, but all she needed to do was close her eyes.

"Can you cover yourself?" Shadow asked. Jake nodded, still deflecting the fierce fire.

Shadow summoned the force and jumped forward, light saber slashing down three droids. Though they couldn't see the man's face behind his helmet, they felt his smile slip.

Jake still deflected the fire around him, then jumped to slash more droids around dim, bringing the number of droids down to five.

Shadow felt the air of the blaster fire dangerously close to her.

She was losing her cool, she knew.

She drew the force around her, letting time slow down, hitting everything, seeing it before it happened, deflecting, moving, and her light saber a constant blur of motion.

R2 gave a triumphant beep and the ray shield went down, the doors opening.

Just as Anakin rushed in, he saw shadow cut down the last super battle droid.

Of course, there was still the spider droids and the four assassin droids.

The assassin droids were the most of a challenge. They swung there light sabers in a constant defending arch, fighting, once again, back to back, as the droids tried to get close.

Two droids fired blasters, whole one tried to sneak in the sideway. One droid leaped, and shadow slashed it in half, as Jacob turned to kill the one to his side.

Jake pivoted and fended off a droid that had tried to move in on Shadow.

Anakin studied the floor for a moment, staring at the droids littered all around. Had the younglings destroyed all this?

Just then, another ray shield blocked them off from the younglings.

Anakin stared in horror.

"R2!" he called. R2 started to work on the shield, but he was shot by an assassin droid, and he powered down.

The jedi looked grimly on as the younglings battled for their lives.

Just then, the man in armor started to fire. He aimed for Shadow's head. Shadow moved to dodge the attack, summoning the force and leaping- right into the grasp of an assassin droid.

The droid grabbed her by the neck, and Shadow imagined the many ways they had been programmed to kill people.

She swung her light saber desperately, but the droid hand caught her wrist. It squeezed, and Shadows hand opened, her light saber hitting the ground and disengaging.

Jacob, meanwhile, was busy fending off another assassin droid.

The man in the armor grinned and raised his blaster. Before he could fire, the Jedi felt the force like a presence enter the room. Shadow force pushed the droid back, freeing herself and dodging the blaster bolt.

With a quick swipe, she sent her droid's head flying.

The droid crumbled to the floor.

Another half of a droid crawled towards her, wires sparking. Shadow drove her light saber into it and turned to fend off another attack by the armored man, force jumping behind the last Assassin droid and dispatching it.

All that was left was the armored man and the spider droid.

That was when things started to explode.

Shadow and Jacob felt the spider droid looming over them, and Shadow remembered Anakin's stories about them. They were tall, lanky, and enjoyed stepping on people, as well as shooting down at them. They were hard for even a Jedi to dispatch.

Just then, she noticed the thermal detonator beside her. Jake pulled her away, and they were both blown off their feet. Shadow tasted blood when she landed; but knew she had only chipped a tooth.

The man with the armor threw another detonator towards then with such force and speed, Shadow instinctively used her jedi instincts. She reached up and caught it.

She stared for a moment, surprised.

Then, quickly, she threw it back at the man, and it blew up a few feet from him. He, too, was blown off his feet. Shadow helped Jake to his feet, who was staring at her with a mixture of awe and horror.

Just then, the spider droid stomped towards them, spraying them with blaster fire.

Shadow deflected and dodged, getting under the droid.

Just then, she sensed it stomping by her. She dodged, barely avoiding one massive leg.

Jake, too, was having difficulty. She sprang upwards at the same time he did, each taking out a leg of the droid on the same side.

The droid collapsed, and Shadow grabbed Jake and force jumped out of the way, still deflecting the frantic fire of the spider droid.

She saw each bullet come before it did, and she force jumped through the spray of fire, feet hitting the wall. She pushed off, expertly twisting and dodging to land on one knee, burying her light saber in the droid's head.

It sparked and died.

Shadow dismounted the droid and landed beside the armored man.

He tried to shoot himself, but Shadow kicked the blaster out of his hand, and it hit the floor.

It was then the hand to hand combat started.

The man whirled and grabbed Shadow by the neck.

Shadow kicked him expertly, no doubt shattering a rib, and he dropped her. Jacob hurried to her aid, now, trying to immobilize the man with the force.

But the man threw a thermal detonator at Jacob, and he had to release the man's frozen legs to run.

The man threw Shadow up against the wall, pinning her down. Shadow stared at him coolly as he pulled the knife from within his utility belt.

Shadow kicked him away as he tried to cut her throat.

Jacob tried to get to her. "The shield! Destroy the shield!" Shadow said, just as the man punched her into the wall.

Shadow felt the force course through he veins, and she pushed him back, knowing each move he would make before it came, blocking punches and avoiding kicks.

It was when she grabbed a punch and twisted it behind his back that Anakin knew she would break his arm. Sure enough, He heard the crunch of the bone snapping. Shadow was strong with the force.

Anakin shook himself out of his awe and turned, trying to instruct Jacob on how to take down the shield.

The man grabbed Shadow in a moment when her focus was slipping and flipped her over onto a pile of droid parts, hard.

It was then Anakin heard the, _thwip! _ Of a dart leaving the tube. It lodged in Shadow's arm. She stared down at it, horrified, for a moment, then quickly ripped it from her arm. Anakin saw a bead of blood appear.

"You'll be out cold in a minute." The armored man sneered.

Anakin watched his sister's strength ebb, slowly deteriorate. The man had already slung her over his shoulder when Jacob approached. The man held his knife to her throat, and Jacob knew he would kill her.

Shadow was losing consciousness, Anakin knew. She reached out to the force in a desperate attempt, drawing the strength of it into her body.

She used the force to slam the man up into the wall and fell, getting to her feet, freed of him.

Anakin could feel her trembling, trying not to black out, and struggling not to give into the drug that no doubt coursed through her veins.

But he knew her opponent couldn't tell.

Jacob looked at her, as if unsure whether to continue with the shield or defend her.

Shadow simply held out her hand, and her light saber flew to it.

She nodded to Jacob. They advanced forward.

All jedi in the room could sense the man's shock. His disbelief at Shadow's apparent immunity to his drug. His fear as he saw the two jedi approaching him, ready for battle.

Before either jedi could stop him, the man turned and jumped off the hanger. His jetpack came to life, and he flew away, towards wherever he was going.

Shadow was breathing hard, and Anakin knew it was taking everything she had to stay conscious.

Jacob finished with the shield, and Anakin ran to her. She leaned against him, breathing hard.

"I… was so… stupid." She said, and the look in her eyes said it all.

Anakin gathered her into his arms, feeling her lean against him.

"No." he said quietly. "You were tricked."

Chapter 30

Once again, she was in the med-wing. Shadow looked up at Anakin, bored.

"Do I have to stay here?" she asked, a bit annoyed.

Anakin nodded. "You're sick.' He said.

"I don't feel sick." Shadow said, sitting up and swinging her legs off the end of the sleep couch.

Just then, she coughed up blood onto her arm. Anakin used a small piece of gauze to wipe it off.

"That's why you're here." He said, indicating the blood on the gauze.

Shadow rolled her eyes.

"Anakin the medics said to expect that. Besides, I overheard them saying the infection is almost gone."

"Well, you're still sick. Lay back down." He instructed.

"You're such a hypochondriac." Shadow said, swinging her legs, bored. "And I'm not sick."

"Yes, you are." Anakin assured her.

"With what?" Shadow asked, raising her eyebrows.

Anakin tried to think of something. Shadow grinned triumphantly.

"The drug isn't out of your system yet.' He said.

"I'm fine, Anakin, really." She went to walk, and crumpled to the floor.

Anakin rushed to pick her back up. He laid her back down in bed, placing the covers over her.

"See what I mean? The drug is meant to causes severe weakness, and you're weak."

Shadow sighed. "How long before it's out of my system?" She asked.

"Two hours." Anakin said.

She sighed.

"You blacked out half an hour ago. Can't you just rest?" Anakin asked.

Shadow sighed and closed her eyes. They popped back open again. She looked at Anakin. "See, I can't I'm too healthy." She said, the corners of her mouth twitching.

Anakin sighed. "You're exhausted. You're just excited for the moment. Now, go to sleep." Shadow sighed.

Anacin n looked at her. "Okay, I'll make you a deal. I won't ask you to sleep anymore if you can keep your eyes closed for five minutes."

Shadow nodded and closed her eyes. Anakin waited. She was asleep in two minutes.

Anakin smiled and rubbed her back. He withdrew him hand. Anakin studied the monitors beside her bed for a few minutes. H looked down at her. She was still asleep.

Anakin waited until she had slept for an hour. He looked back down at her. It was then she started to thrash.

She entangled herself in the blankets, and then fought them savagely, trying to free herself desperately. She talked, too, mumbling and fighting, twisting and turning.

Anakin tried to calm her down without waking her, but he couldn't rub her back or take her hand when she was thrashing. Anakin was just about to shake her awake when she sat bolt upright and screamed.

Her bangs were plastered to her forehead with sweat, and she was gasping for breath.

A healer, hearing her scream, ran in.

Anakin had already scooped her into his arms and was holding her against his chest.

Shadow was still breathing heavily and gasping, clinging to his chest.

The medic shot Anakin a concerned look.

"Its okay, Shadow." Just a nightmare." He reassured her, and the healer left.

"What was it about?" Anakin asked.

"Us." Shadow gasped, tears streaming down her face.

"You died, Dooku killed you." Shadow took a ragged breath. "And Mom. I watched her die.'

"Tell me the details." Anakin said.

Shadow told him every detail of the entire nightmarish ordeal. It was all correct. She hadn't even been there.

"It's all right, Shadow."

"Everything alright?" Obi-wan stepped into the room.

Shadow buried her head in Anakin's tunic, still trying to calm herself.

"Your heart is racing." Anakin said. He could feel it beating against her ribs, as though trying to escape her ribcage.

He stroked her hair and gently and whispered soothing words to her.

Obi-wan shot Anakin a concerned look.

"Is my padawan alright?" He asked quietly.

Shadow's head snapped around. "Padwan?" she almost whispered.

Obi-wan nodded. "I told you, this morning, I swore in as your master."

Shadow staggered over to him, wrapping him in a hug. "Thank you thank you thank you!" she gasped.

Her knees buckled, and Obi-wan gently caught her and replaced her on Anakin's lap.

"Don't get too excited. You're still a youngling." Obi-wan said quietly.

"Obi-wan noticed Anakin shaking his head. "Out of all the masters you could have gotten." Anakin said, but his grin betrayed him.

"Honestly, Anakin, I'm not sure if I can survive another skywalker." Obi-wan joked.

"Hey, if you can survive me, you can survive anything." Anakin assured his.

Shadow was grinning, but her eyes were closing.

"Don't leave me." She whispered to /Anakin.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 31

Ashoka strode in a few minutes later, eyes flashing with anger.

"You didn't even tell me!" she said.

Shadow stirred, and Anakin looked over.

"Ashoka, can we tlk about this later?" Anakin said quietly.

"You didn't even tell me! The entire temple knows! Why didn't you call me, tell me she was hurt!?" Ashoka crossed her arms and waited.

Anakin sighed. "I was kind of busy trying to keep her alive, Ashoka." Anakin said quietly.

"I know." Ashoka said quietly. Her angry look softened.

'I know it's been about Shadow a lot lately, but I promise, I will never forget about you. Besides, Shadow's still a youngling. Think of it like having a sister."

Ashoka looked at him. "I already have." She said quietly.

Chapter 32

_Two days later…_

Ashoka waited for Anakin to arrive so they could go on their mission. Shadow smiled and hugged her good bye.

"Have fun." She said, beaming. "I wish I was a padawan."

Ashoka shook her head. "you'll get there." She assured her friend. Shadow nodded.

"Be careful. Make sure Anakin doesn't do anything stupid."

Ashoka rolled her eyes. "I'll try my best."

Just then, Anakin strode in, late, as usual.

"Shoulsn't you be in class?" he asked Shadow.

Shadow smiled. "Study hall." She said.

She hugged Anakin goodbye, too, and they boarde the transport.

Shadow watched them take off, then started back towards her class. She wasn't a padawan yet. She sighed as she sensed her long two year adventure come to an end. There would be more adventures, she tried to assure herself. When she was a padawan in a few years.

She sighed and entered the classroom. Besides, she had to keep up with her classes now more than ever, since she had been gone so long.

Ashoka looked out the window of the transport. She had wanted to have her master to herself, though she felt selfish. But it was fun having Anakin to teach her things.

Now she realized how much she missed Shadow, as she sat on the window seat and stared down at the receding planet of Courasant.

"Snips? You alright?" Anakin asked from behind her.

Ashoka nodded.

"relax, Ashoka. You'll see each other soon."

Ashoka nodded. She strode over and sat in the co-pilot's seat. She looked forward, not back, and the tug on her heart Shadow had receded. She was out once again, doing what she loved. She was on another mission.


End file.
